Dragon Rider
by InuyashaForever1989
Summary: Only certain people can bond with a dragon. Sesshomaru, a dragon rider, happens to be one. Kagome, wanting to fly like her secret love, finds a dragon’s egg. Can she hatch it or will she stay grounded forever? Ses/Kag -- beware OOCnes / AU
1. Kagome’s Secret Love

_**Summary:**_ Only certain people can bond with a dragon. Sesshomaru, a dragon rider, happens to be one. Kagome, wanting to fly like her secret love, finds a dragon's egg. Can she hatch it, or will she stay grounded forever? Sessy/Kag

InuyashaForever1989: This Fic is one of two I have dedicated to KibaSin who came up with the name and the summary and who is allowing me to use them thank you

There are youkai, hanyou, miko and ningen in this fic

Disclaimer- I do not own the characters of Inuyasha

Chapter One - Kagome's Secret Love

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Kagome sat on the edge of the forest, her long ebony black hair swaying with each breeze and her chocolate brown eyes shimmering in the midday sun. Beyond the woods was a clearing where she would watch the dragons take off from. She loved to watch the dragons and their riders take off and go flying about the skies. She watched and studied closely and soon she had learned every maneuver they would perform in the practice area.

Kagome had always wanted to fly ever since her father had first brought her to the Dragon Dens when she was a little girl. Her father had been one of the best dragon riders ever before he and his dragon, Uwibami (A/N: actually from Japanese Mythology), disappeared. But, even now Kagome loved to come out to watch them hoping that one day she would be able to fly with them.

One in particular had caught her attention. He was a very good rider, one of the best Kagome had seen since her father. She had only seen him from a distance, but she could still sense with her miko powers that he was a youkai. Being a youkai meant he had a natural advantage over the ningen riders any way, but then he was still better than even the other youkai in the troop.

Kagome had fallen in love with him just by the way he and his dragon flew the air ways with such grace. Whenever he flew, even if he would fly in formation exactly like everyone else, she would know him because of his long silver hair that she could she even from this distance, shining in the sun. Besides, even if she did every get a close up she didn't know if she would be able to tell him that she had fallen in love from afar, anyway. He had one of the very rare red dragons; which was so beautiful that Kagome could stare at it all day.

Kagome hadn't told anyone that she found herself completely head over heals for some one she'd never met. She never even told her best friend Sango, which was a big deal since she told Sango everything no matter what.

Today she couldn't stay too long, she had to get ready for a party tonight. She had turned 18 recently and was now old enough to attend all of the parties that her mother would. Kagome had forgotten what it was called, but she seemed to remember something about it having to do with a ball held by the dragon riders.

She returned home early to get ready to go when her mother came running up to her as giddy as a school girl with the news she had for Kagome. "Oh, Kagome you're going to be so happy I got you a date for the ball tonight. He's a youkai and the son of one of your fathers friends. The young Wolf Prince . . . um what was his name . . . um . . . oh yes Kouga." (A/N: what fun would it be if he wasn't there to chase after Kagome too?)

'Oh great another one of mom's set ups,' Kagome thought to herself though she continued to put on a smile for her mom's sake. "That sounds great mom, just great," she said in a less than excited tone but her mom didn't seem to notice.

"I know and you're going to love this . . ." she paused for effect, "He's a dragon rider and I know how much you love dragons so I thought it would be an interest you two would have in common."

Kagome began to wonder if maybe it was the one she could always pick out of the rest, the one with the silver hair and red dragon. If her mom had set her up with him she was sure she could find the courage to talk to him. "Um . . . Mom do you know what color his dragon is," she asked hopping she didn't sound suspicious or anything. She had thought asking about his hair would be too suspicious.

Her mom stopped to think for a moment, "Hmm . . . I don't really know, but I do remember something about it being rare." Here is where Kagome got her hopes up.

'_The red dragons are rare_,' she thought to herself. She had completely disregarded the other rare colors like the gold, silver, purple and blue dragons, in order from the rarest down. Most of the dragons hatched where either green or brown. The rarer the dragon's color the more powerful it was. Although all dragons were strong of course but they were the strongest; the red dragons came in after the silver ones.

And of course not just anyone could form a bond with one of these magnificent creatures. Kagome always wished that she would someday. '_Then maybe I'll be able to fly with him,_' Kagome thought wistfully.

With the thought that her mom might have set her up with the sliver haired rider she brightened up a bit, but not too much because she still didn't want her mom to get too excited on her. Her mom would tend to go over board on these types of things; like how she was always trying to fix Kagome up, which she wasn't totally dreading this time.

Kagome finally got to her room and found her mom had bought her a new dress just for tonight. It was beautiful it was golden colored with gems circling the waist and on the edges, the neck line and ends of her sleeves, and then scattered gems on the skirt part of it. Once she had put it on she did her hair, she always did her own hair. She put her hair up into a bun on top of her head and let curls of hair fall down from it. Kagome didn't like to wear makeup, she felt if she wasn't pretty enough then nothing, not even a ton of makeup couldn't make it better, besides people should like how she looks naturally. (A/N: how I really feel)

Kagome's mom had hired a special carriage to take them to the ball. It sparkled with luminescent silver in the moon light as it moved over the cobble stone road toward the palace. The Lord of the Western Lands was the one holding the ball as he did every year. Kagome faintly recalled hearing something about his sons being dragon riders as well as himself, which might explain why he held the ball.

When they arrived their names where announced and they entered the grand ball room. This was the first time Kagome had ever seen the grand ball room and she was simply amazed at the sheer size and beauty of it. The decorations where absolutely splendid, ribbon and such hung all around the large room.

Kagome was brought back to reality by her mom's voice, "Dear, this is Kouga." Kagome turned expectantly toward the Wolf Prince and was greatly disappointed, but she didn't let it show of course. The Wolf Prince wasn't who she had thought, he was tall with long black hair that he had put up into a somewhat high ponytail, but if nothing else he had the most beautiful piercing blue eyes she had ever seen.

She reached out her hand to shake his, but he surprised her by instead taking her hand and giving it a kiss. Kagome blushed slightly, which made Kouga smirk. '_He may not be who I thought he was but I'll be damned if he's not one of the better guys mom's picked out so far,_' Kagome thought and her blush deepened a little.

Just then the music started to play and Kouga bowed to Kagome. "Would you like to dance?" he asked his deep and gentle voice catching her off guard. All she found herself able to do was nod. So they danced for a while and then he left her for a minute to get them something to drink. She soon found herself thinking how nice he seemed.

Then she started to walk forward only to hit something '_no someone_,' she thought as she looked up. She looked upon the face of a young man that she sensed to be a youkai, but it was his long silver hair that had made her eyes go wide. Suddenly all the thoughts she had of Kouga disappeared.

The youkai was tall, even taller than Kouga, with purple strips on his cheeks and a blue crescent moon on his forehead. Kagome knew instantly that he was the one that she had watched from afar. She wanted to say it, tell him how she felt when she watched him fly but instead she said, "Um . . . I'm s-sorry. Uh . . . I'm Kagome Higurashi."

"It's ok. My name is Sesshomaru," he bowed slightly. She found his stare and his words to be a bit cold, but for some reason she couldn't explain she felt it that wasn't really him and suddenly wanted to know more. Then Kouga returned with their drinks and . . .

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InuyashaForever1989: Yay I finished chapter one and I think I'm doing pretty good, but I would like to hear what you people have to say so please review and please no flames although I do except constructive criticism. So until next time


	2. Party Events

Review Responses

**LynGreenTea** - I hope that this is soon enough

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**FireFox ShadowWolf **- Thank you.

**Sesshoumaru's Shadow Daughter **- That would have been cool, but this is the way it came out. Glad you like the story as is too.

**lildevil0644** - And so the next chapter is here.

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**AngelsWarmth **- Thank you, I will try to write longer chapters, but last time was the best I could come up with and it was kinda rushed, because I wanted to get the first chapter out. I will try harder this time though.

**KibaSin** - To be honest I've never written about dragons either, but I do read a lot about them and I have a Dragonology book maybe I'll use it to help write the story.

**Book Butterfly **- It's all thanks to spell check and my spell check has a grammar check feature too.

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Chapter 2 - Party Events

Then Kouga returned with their drinks and Kagome thought she heard a growl, but wasn't sure so she just waved it off as nothing. Then Kagome noticed that Kouga was glaring hard at Sesshomaru and decided it was best to try and distract him. "Hi Kouga, umm thanks" Kagome said and took one of the two cups that Kouga had brought.

It worked and Kouga's glare softened as he turned his gaze to Kagome. _Why do I feel like he's attached already?_ Kagome wondered while laughing a bit nervously.

Sesshomaru acted like he hadn't seen or heard any of it. "Hello. You must be Kouga, my father has told me much about you," Sesshomaru said in the same cold tone, while nodding his head a bit.

Kouga went back to glaring at Sesshomaru. "And why would your father speak of me?" he asked clearly agitated.

"Allow me to introduce myself; I am Sesshomaru eldest son and heir to the Lord of the Western Lands." Sesshomaru didn't usually like to throw his name and position around, but for some reason he found a great deal of pleasure in irritating the young wolf prince.

Kouga smirked on the outside, even though inside he was mentally kicking himself.

Their fathers were currently trying to form an alliance to stand up to a hanyou that has been amassing power lately. He had been told 'to play nice with the little doggy' but if the dog wasn't going to play nice neither was he. "Kouga, Wolf Prince to the Southern and Eastern packs."

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at this; he knew that he had power over the Southern packs, but not the eastern as well. Kouga decided to answer Sesshomaru's unasked question, "My mother is the only living descendant of the leader of the Eastern packs since my uncle died without an heir. So, in other words I am now the heir to both." Kouga smirked at Sesshomaru's slightly ruffled look although he still kept up the mask.

Kouga looked to where Kagome had been standing wondering how impressed she was only to find that she wasn't there anymore. Kagome had gone off to find her friends that she knew to be there, even Sesshomaru couldn't keep her attention in that conversation. She could just tell they were going to start talking politics and she was never one for politics and such things. Now if they had been talking about dragons she would have still been there.

Kagome found her friends in no time. She could always sense Sango's fiery spirit anywhere and anywhere Sango was there was Miroku, and he was always up to something. This time Kagome didn't need to use her powers to find them though. There was a loud slapping sound and a screaming of the word "HENTAI!" and Kagome knew exactly where her friends were.

"Hey Sango," Kagome said as if nothing had just happened. She was just too used to all the noise they made that she would feel weird if they were quiet without a ton of people staring at them.

"Hello Kagome," Sango replied giving Miroku one last glare before turning her attention to her friend. "I heard. So, your mom set you up again, huh?"

Kagome averted her gaze trying her hardest not to blush. "Well . . . Yeah, but he's not so bad this time."

Sango stared in disbelief. "Sure, then I just have one question," Sango stated looking over at Kagome. Kagome nodded for her to continue. "Is he the hottie with the long silver hair or the black and which ever he is can I have the other?" Sango began to giggle uncontrollable.

"The one with the black hair and you know you shouldn't talk like that you'll upset Miroku," Kagome reminded Sango knowing she would feel bad about it. Miroku used to be a real pervert who went after anything that walked past, but he gave up all other women just for Sango; even if he did still act like a pervert to her he was still so sweet.

Sango looked to Miroku and he did look kind of upset. Sango inched closer to the young monk. "I'm sorry," she said and gave him a kiss, after which he brightened up considerable.

"Hello," said a deep voice from behind Kagome. She turned to find Kouga standing over her.

"Oh . . . uh, Kouga, hi," Kagome stuttered out. He gave her quite a shock coming up behind her like that.

"So, who are your friends?" he asked as he put an arm around her, which made her a little bit uncomfortable. She gave her friends a pleading look that would have said she was in need of help, but her 'friends' had become to rapped up it themselves to notice. "Well, they seem busy right now. Why don't we dance some more, Kagome?" Kouga asked leading her to the dance floor.

Kagome tried for one last 'help me' look at her friends, but no such luck. She sighed it looked like she was stuck. Just as she turned to Kouga she felt someone tap her shoulder. "May I cut in?" said a cold voice she recognized as Sesshomaru's.

Kagome didn't want to dance right now, not even with Sesshomaru. Her head was spinning already and she didn't have the patients to deal with whatever his problem was to make him act the way he did. He was so cold and distant and totally different from what she had pictured. She also had the sense that he was sort of using her at the moment; she had seen how he had liked to annoy Kouga so she figured that was what he was up to.

Kagome turned to Sesshomaru, she had a plan. "Go right a head," she said and pushed Sesshomaru right into Kouga knocking them to the floor. When they had gotten up and looked around she had gone without a trace.

Kagome had blended into the crowd, which wasn't easy to do in that gown. She slipped out the door for some fresh air. _How does mom stay in there all night, I only lasted a few hours with a few to go, _Kagome thought as she sat down on a bench just outside the building. She sensed someone approaching; it was a familiar aura too. _Who . . ._ her thoughts trailed as she began to hear the light foot steps of the approaching aura and she turned around to see Sesshomaru.

"That wasn't very nice," he said sitting down next to her. "Do you always push the people who try to help you, if so then it's no wonder your friends didn't try to help." There it was again that cold tone devoid of all emotion, he didn't even sound annoyed and it was starting to piss her off.

"Are you done yet?" she asked keeping her tone just as cool as his.

Sesshomaru smirked and that shocked Kagome, from what she'd seen so far she half expected his face to crack from the sudden change. "Not quite," he whispered leaning ever so close to her face. She blushed big time and fell backwards when she tried to backup in her seat. Sesshomaru laughed at her.

_What the hell is this guy's problem? Is he bi-polar and no one told me?_ She was just about ready to hit him, but decided to warn him first, "Stop laughing or else." For some reason he found this funny too and started to laugh harder. _That's it!_ She lifted her hand and smacked him dead across the face. He stopped laughing and glared at her.

_How dare she_, was all he could think. He couldn't believe that she had the nerve to strike him and her being only a ningen. He had never been hit before, not even in battle and he didn't like it. Except for some reason he wasn't mad at 'her.' He wondered why. Then he came to a conclusion: he was just so used to having women fall all over themselves to try to get his attention, unlike this one, and it was simply a refreshing change.

She watched his face carefully searching for anything that would give away his next move so she would be ready. Then she noticed that cold unemotional mask he had had before was gone and she saw the emotions flicker across his face as they came and went. First he was angry, then confused, and finally he got this look of realization. _What is he thinking?_

That was it Kagome couldn't stand this for much longer a chose to go now rather than later. As she started to walk off she was stopped by a strong hand on her left arm. She looked to see Sesshomaru gripping her arm firmly with his right hand. "What?" she asked letting the annoyance into her voice. He let go and he looked like he was really thinking about the answer, like he didn't know it himself.

She had gotten up to leave and before he knew it he had put his hand up to stop her. Why did he do that? He thought for a moment, well he didn't want her to leave she was interesting and different and he wondered what she would do next. He didn't find many things interesting so why would he want her to leave. "Hello, is anybody home? You space out an awful lot, are you sure you're a great dragon rider?" Kagome asked her annoyance fading a little remembering the beautiful creatures.

Sesshomaru snapped out of his thoughts for a second. "How do you know I'm a 'great' dragon rider?" he asked back raising an eyebrow at her.

Kagome stayed cool she had actually prepared for this. "People talk and I hear things, that's how," she stated calmly while giving herself a mental pat on the back. Sesshomaru gave her an 'oh' sort of look. Kagome decided to bring up the next issue. "You know when you're not being all defensive a cold you're a real easy person to read."

He looked shocked for a minute then put the emotionless mask back on. He hadn't even realized what he had done until she mentioned it. _How the hell did I get so comfortable around her?_

"You don't have to fix it. I think it's nice that you can show all your emotions like that, and I know that's not always a good thing so it's also good that you can hide them. I guess I admire that about you now. Besides, it's great that you can relax around me without realizing it?" she said silently hoping she didn't give away too much. Sesshomaru seemed to relax a bit and gave her a 'why' look. He wasn't one for talking she could tell, but damn if he couldn't say everything in a look. "Well you and me are friends now so it's good to relax around your friends," she stated with one of her sweetest smiles.

Sesshomaru thought about it for a minute he had never had any real friends before. People usually just wanted to be his friends for his position or his money or his good looks, but something told him that Kagome wasn't like that. He nodded even though he didn't really need to, because he had once again let his guard down and Kagome saw the whole thing play out on his face. She tried her hardest not to giggle.

"So then, let's start over. I'm Kagome and my mother is the Lady of the Higurashi House," she introduced herself properly extending her hand to shake his.

He took her hand, "Sesshomaru, my father is the Lord of the Western Lands," he kissed her hand much to her surprise. She wasn't used to that sort of thing and it always embarrassed her. So she did the only natural thing to do when you're embarrassed she blushed. Sesshomaru mentally raised an eyebrow at this.

Suddenly it hit Kagome like a ton of bricks, "Did you say Lord of the Western Lands!" she asked/yelled. He nodded, apparently she hadn't paid any attention when he introduced himself to Kouga; she had been looking for her friends already and didn't catch a word he had said.

Kagome was in shock for a minute Sesshomaru was afraid she wouldn't be the same after this. "Wait a minute are you the heir too?" she asked and he nodded. She sat for a minute then continued, "If you're the heir then the Western Lands are in big trouble," she said jokingly with a smile. Sesshomaru got a fake hurt look at her words. He was glad that she didn't go all formal on him. But really, why did he care so much? He couldn't help but wonder on the topic; he hadn't been this open with someone since he was little and before his mother had died.

Kagome got up. "Well I guess we should get back to the party we've been out here a while," she said then started toward the door with Sesshomaru following. When she entered she was immediately and literally pounced on by Sango. They both fell to the floor, Kagome had a feeling Sesshomaru was back to normal or else he would have laughed at this.

"Kagome, where have you been? Kouga is totally freaking out here," Sango all but yelled in her friend's ear. Kagome looked around Sango to see Kouga dart for them. She stood up pushing Sango off of her.

Kouga did look at bit frantic which made Kagome feel bad. "Kagome are you ok?" he asked. He had clearly been worried about her. Then he noticed Sesshomaru and growled.

"What are you growling at wolf?" Sesshomaru's voice was once again very cold and emotionless.

"What were you doing with my Kagome!" he said close to yelling.

Sesshomaru ignored him and asked, "Kagome would you like to dance?" Kagome was confused at the moment. Weren't they fighting just now? Why did he want to dance? Kagome shook her head to clear it but it was more of a nod and the next thing she knew she was being led out to the dance floor by Sesshomaru.

This really got on Kouga's nerves. That dog was dancing with the woman he had just claimed. Kouga's blue eyes started to glow red, he was really pissed now. Sesshomaru knew it and darted outside, so the scene wouldn't unfold in the middle of the crowd, and Kouga followed. When they were both outside Sesshomaru expected him to attack right away, but he didn't. He wondered at this for a moment, and then noticed that he still had Kagome.

She had buried her face in his shirt. She had been scared by the speed that he had use and now Kouga was standing there with glowing red eyes and she knew that wasn't a good thing. Kouga could smell her fear of him and his red eyes began to fade; he didn't want to scare her; he wanted to tear that dog to pieces.

"Kagome?" Kouga asked his voice a little more than a whisper. Kagome turned around relieved that he was back to normal. The scent of her fear disappeared and Kouga relaxed a bit; at least she wasn't scared of him now. Then they heard the music inside stop playing and people started to come out of the building.

"Kagome, we're leaving now," Kagome heard her mother's voice call. She looked between the two; she didn't know what to say exactly.

"You should go now," Sesshomaru said to her. Then she noticed she was still clinging to his shirt and let go with a blush.

"Um, g-goodnight" she stuttered a bit still a little shaken and walked off toward where she sensed her mother. _At least she didn't see this. She would have had a field day,_ Kagome thought as she approached the carriage.

When she got in her mom said, "We need to talk."

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InuyashaForever1989: And I will leave it there for now. Hope you enjoyed it and if you did then please review.


	3. New Discovery

Review Responses

**mimi86** - Updated, chapter 3.

**inugrldemon**- Finally got the next chapter all set.

**amber001**- I'm so glad you like it.

**yunibell**- Well cliff hangers are fun to do and they keep every one coming back to see what's next.

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**AngelsWarmth**- Yeah I like to make situations like this. And I worked really hard on that chapter and this one they went from four pages to eight.

**LynGreenTea**- Writing, writing, writing, writing. lol thanks for the support.

**PlayingWithDemons** - Thanks, I do try not to rush it, but sometimes I guess it just happens and I like making other sides to the characters and if I didn't than the story wouldn't really work either.

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**Megan Consoer** - Don't worry I'm writing.

**the weird all women demon clan **- Since I don't even know how it's going to end I will finish it, that's how I keep myself writing sometimes, just not knowing what's going to happen next

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Chapter 3 - New Discovery

Kagome laughed nervously, "Is that so?"

Her mom gave her a stern look and started, "I know what's going on, and you missed half the party."

Kagome gulped she was in for it now. "Mom I can explain really I can--" she was suddenly cut off.

"--There's no need to explain Kagome. I was a young girl once too, and besides that Kouga is really something else. If I were younger I might go for him myself. You wanted some time alone, I understand that." Kagome's jaw dropped; was that really what her mom thought about her? Her mom took this as a different sign though, "See Kagome you can't hide these things from me. How about we pay him and his father a visit tomorrow, hmm?"

Kagome was stunned speechless. She couldn't believe that her mother thought she was off doing something alone with Kouga. I mean sure she was alone with Sesshomaru, but not intentionally and it was nothing like what her mother was implying.

Her mom took this as a sign that she wanted to go, even though Kagome had not really been paying attention. "Right then, we'll be leaving before dinner tomorrow. I already talked out all the details and we'll be joining them for dinner."

Kagome didn't quite know why at the moment, but for some reason she felt like throwing something, '_Probably because mom keeps butting into my love life like this, do other moms do this to there daughters?"_

Kagome sighed, right now if she couldn't throw something she just wanted into crawl into bed and cease to exist. As the carriage pulled up to her house her mom got out humming cheerfully to herself and disappeared into the house. Kagome while desperately wanting to go to bed needed to think first.

So she got out of the carriage and went to an outdoor table set and sat down as she tried to sort out what the hell had happen over the course of just one night. 'Ok, I met Kouga,' she started with that, 'He's nice and handsome, but from what I've seem he gets attached to easily and now he's decided to attach himself to me.

'Then there's Sesshomaru who is also very handsome, but usually acts cold and emotionless, though he's not half bad when he lets his guard down a bit. It seems he likes to annoy Kouga, too. And I know he did something to start that fight with Kouga, probably something to do with me.

'Now I've got another date with Kouga, all thanks to mom, and he's staying with Sesshomaru.' She let out a heavy sigh, 'Well it's going to be one interesting visit tomorrow to say the least.'

With another sigh Kagome got up and finally headed toward the door when she heard a strange noise come from the forest back around her house. It sounded so far away yet it was still so loud. She wondered for a moment what it was, but it was too late and it sounded so far away that she didn't worry about it for to long and went to her room.

In her room she let down her hair, or at least what was left up. That last stunt Sesshomaru pulled loose most of her hair, probably adding to her mom's delusions in the process. She quickly changed out of the dress and into a white silk night gown and lay down in bed.

That night she dreamt of Sesshomaru.

_Dream_

_She watched as he and his red dragon flew through the skies, the sun gleaming on his silver hair. They looped and twisted on the air currents just as she had seen them do before. She found that she was standing on the edge of a forest like always when she watched them. _

_They made a sudden change in there flight pattern and headed for her. Kagome stared at the flaming red creature that had landed in front of her and Sesshomaru stretched out his hand for her. When she took it she was lifted off the ground and carried into the air as she rode on the back of the dragon with him. It was a nice dream and in her opinion it ended far too soon. _

_End Dream_

Kagome awoke to the bright shine of the sun in her eyes. She moved quickly changing at nearly the speed of light into a plain blue sun dress. She didn't even bother with breakfast as she rushed out the door and bolted for the forest.

She slowed down as she neared the clearing. She was late and the dragons had already taken to the air and were now in formation and starting the day's training. She immediately found Sesshomaru at the far end of the clearing, when suddenly another dragon cut him off.

The dragon was purple and it was really fast. Kagome had never seen this dragon before; in fact there were a lot of others that usually weren't there. She reached out with her miko powers and found the aura oddly familiar. It was a youkai, but who would do that to-- 'Kouga,' the thought interrupting all others. Then were all the others people that came with Kouga? Well maybe she could find out later.

All the dragons landed, it looked like they were to argue about it. Something told Kagome that she should just go, they probably weren't going to fly much today from the looks of things. Kagome guess she hurried and skipped breakfast for nothing.

As she turn to go she heard a sound just like the one she heard last night only it was closer and so it was louder and she had to cover her ears. It sounded like a screech and like what ever was making it was in pain.

Kagome turned again to see the reactions of the people in the field, but it was like they didn't hear the noise at all. It sounded again, but they made no move. Kagome decided to take a look herself and find the poor creature since she seemed to be the only one to hear it.

As she ventured deeper into the forest the screeching became louder. After an hour of walking she had a headache and she couldn't seem to find the source of the noise. Just as she was about to head back she came upon a cave were the heart wrenching sound was coming from.

When she walked in she found something beyond even her wildest dreams. Right in front of her was a large brown dragon. She stood in awe until another cry from the magnificent creature tore her from her thoughts.

Kagome looked the dragon over and found a large gash in its side were it had been wounded by something. There was no way she could stop the blood by herself and it would take to long to go get help.

Yet another cry tore at Kagome's heart, and then she noticed that the dragon hadn't opened its mouth to make the sound. 'It must be telepathic, that would explain why no one else could hear it,' Kagome thought in realization.

She turned back to the dragon. "How can I help you?" she asked fearing she could do nothing. The dragon shifted its large body to reveal a nest of some sort made of carefully placed stones. In the center of the nest was a large beige colored egg. Kagome stared in disbelief. When she turned back to the dragon she asked, "You want me to take care of it?" The dragon nodded weakly as it laid its head down and shut its eyes never to open them again.

There was a moment of silence as Kagome silently prayed for the soul of the dragon. When she finished she turned toward the nest and retrieved the egg. 'She wanted someone to take care of her baby so I will,' Kagome thought to herself as she tucked the egg into the backpack she had grabbed on her way out of the house.

Moving as fast as she could she quickly got back home within another hour and rushed into her room, completely blowing past her mom who had tried to say something to her. Right now she didn't care she just wanted to get the egg to her room.

The egg needed to stay warm, warmer than just wrapping it in a blanket too. Kagome would need a fire to keep the egg alive and she figured that her fireplace would work just fine.

As Kagome got to her room she locked the door and gently set the bag on her bed. She went to her fire place that was built into the opposite wall, luckily she still had some wood left and quickly started a fire. When the fire had really started to burn she took the egg out from her pack and placed it in the fire careful not to touch the flames herself.

'Now what,' she thought looking into the glowing flames. Kagome had always wanted a dragon, but it was illegal to keep an egg. The eggs of dragons in human possession were all kept in a hatchery until they found someone who the egg would hatch for.

That brought Kagome's mind to the matter of if she could hatch the egg. Eggs didn't hatch for just anyone; it was said the chick would look into the very soul of a person and choose who it would hatch for if anyone at all.

It was different with wild dragons, when they were ready they'd just hatch, but once an egg came into human hands the only way the egg would hatch would be if it found a human partner.

If the right person was found an egg would hatch in about 36 months; the young dragon would need at least that long to grow inside the egg. So she could wait until then to see if it would hatch and if it did nobody could do anything about it then, it would be too late and the dragon would be hers.

Kagome's mind raced; what should she name it if it did hatch, would it be male or female, and what color would it be? Then she realized she couldn't do this alone. The egg would need to be watched constantly, which she couldn't do; in fact she was leaving in just a few hours. Who could she tell that would help her?

'_Kaede,_' Kagome thought of her instructor. Kaede was a good teacher too; she had taught Kagome all about her miko abilities. Kagome ran down the hall, taking care to lock her door first, to the room in which Kaede resided. She knocked on the door and was told to enter.

Upon opening the door she was greeted by the sight of the older woman sitting on her bed. "Kaede may I ask you a favor?" Kagome asked hesitantly not quite sure how the woman who react to her request.

"Hai child, ye may," Kaede answered her.

Kagome took a deep breath as she explained about the dragon and the egg she now had warming in her fireplace. Kaede stayed quiet and listened patiently for Kagome to finish. "So can you help me look after it? I can't watch it 24/7 like a dragon mother would or like at the hatcheries," Kagome ended with a pleading look.

Kaede sat in silence for a few more minutes turning the story and the girl's request over in her mind. "Well it would seem the dragon chose ye to take care of it's young and so it should be ye to keep it and I will of course help ye protect it," came her reply as she stood to head toward the door.

Kaede and Kagome both left for Kagome's room and Kaede settled in so she could watch over things while Kagome was out that night.

Smiling Kagome set out to change seeing as her cloths were filthy from her trip into the woods. She found a nice dress that was a little more elegant than her sun dress. It was red with long sleeves. The dress went down to her ankles and then had a slit that went up right above her knee and the dress hugged her curves just the right way.

As Kagome looked in the mirror she wondered if maybe it was too much. That and it would definitely give her mom some ideas. Then her thoughts wondered to Kouga, he had said she was his woman, so who knows what kind of ideas he would get. Kagome shivered at the thought.

A new thought came to Kagome just then. 'I don't belong to anyone,' she thought furiously about ready to burst. She took a deep breath and calmed herself down before going down stairs and leaving the house with her mom. The carriage they took was a normal wooden one, yet the frame was carved beautifully with the designs of vines and flowers creeping around it.

The ride was uneventful, some children playing and running around the streets. Stands were selling various items such as food and clothing. One stand was selling some very nice jewelry and Kagome thought about maybe going later with Sango to find some things.

Her eyes flitted from one stand to the next, but finding nothing of any specific interest to her. Then her eyes once again lay upon the majestic castle of the Lord of the Western Lands. As they entered the building they heard what seemed to be the sounds of fighting and rushed down the hall and entered a room with large wooden doors and--.

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InuyashaForever1989: hi, it's been awhile I know, sorry. Anyway the next chapter should be up really soon, but it will be really short, unless I fail to put it in the next few days then it will be longer. So review please, I love to hear what people have to say about my fics


	4. Other Perspectives

Review Responses

**mimi86** - Well, I guess you get a hint of who in this one, but I still haven't come out and said it yet. And this chapter actually came out longer then I expected which surprised me.

**LynGreenTea**- Keep reviewing and I'll keep writing.

**anime-lover-forever2007** - Sorry, but there's still a lot I want to do. Maybe I will skip ahead at some point, but not for a while yet.

**StarPrincess2020**- I'm so happy that you like my fic it's really fun to write too.

**ShadowCat711**- Yeah, I'm actually not really sure myself what color it should be so I can't wait either, lol.

**love4seeshomaru**- Thank you so much.

**AidynFire** - I do try to make them longer, because they seem a little short even to me.

**PurifyingFire** - yeah I read Eragon and Eldest and now that I think about it there are some things in here that are sort of pulled from that.

**AnimeMoonlightGoddess** - Thanks and I hope you continue to enjoy my fic.

**Animefanatic1632** - Thank you and review again.

**Book Butterfly** - Wait no longer, actually with this chapter maybe a little longer, you'll see what I mean.

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**loverofInuKagome** - Yeah I like to get the chapters out as fast as I can, and so I 'usually' don't go to long without updating.

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**the weird all women demon clan **- Yep, I'm doing my best to keep up.

THANK YOU ALL FOR REVIEWING AND I HOPE YOU ALL REVIEW AGAIN!

Chapter 4: Other Perspectives

(This chapter will show the events after the party for Kouga and Sesshomaru.)

(Kouga)

It was late and long after the party had ended. Kouga was pacing his room. He needed to get some sleep now if he wanted any. He sighed as he walked to the closet of the room he had been given.

The room was rather large with blue painted walls and a bed against the far wall in the right side corner and a desk in the opposite corner on the left. In the left wall was the door for the closet.

From the closet he took a night shirt and pants. He changed and got in to the bed. It was a rough night and all he wanted to do was sleep. Although sleep tried to elude him he found it within a half-hour.

He couldn't have been asleep for more than a few hours when he was awoken by a rough yet familiar voice. "Hey Kouga it's time to get up you over slept," the voice said as Kouga turned over and away from the sunlight that now poured into the room.

"Kouga we have to go the dragons are getting restless," said another familiar voice. Kouga sat up to find his two friends Hakkaku and Ginta standing over him. He groaned as he slowly got out of bed.

"Yeah and besides Sesshomaru already left for the training area," Hakkaku added. Kouga gave them a hard glare. Just the mention of that name made Kouga's blood boil. In fact that stupid dog was the reason he hadn't gotten much sleep last night. They had argued a lot after the party ended and well into the night.

It angered Kouga greatly that Sesshomaru had ignored his claim on Kagome the way he did. Also there was just something about him just pissed Kouga off.

Kouga walked past the now cowering wolf youkai and to his closet. He pulled his riding cloths out, a tight long sleeved brown, leather shirt and matching pants. He decided to skip breakfast, but with Ginta and Hakkaku bugging him about not be able to ride on an empty stomach he gabbed some bread on his way past the kitchen.

He made his way around the back of the castle to where the dragon dens were located. The entrance was a large cave opening. As he walked through the main cave there were many other side caves that held different dragons most of which were gone already.

He stopped at one of the caves and inside was a purple dragon, his dragon partner. He was smaller than most, but it only added to his speed. Kouga put the saddle on him and lead him to the cave entrance where he got on and took off.

Kouga vaguely noticed Ginta and Hakkaku speeding behind him trying to catch up even though they never could. "Kouga, wait up," shouted what sounded like Hakkaku's voice. Kouga decided this would be a good time to leave them in his dust so to speak and sped off at top speed.

When he arrived in the training area Kouga found it to be a large clearing in the middle of a forest. At the far end he spotted silver hair that mad his temper rise. Immediately he found himself diving at Sesshomaru without even a second thought cutting him off.

(Sesshomaru)

It was late, the wolf had insisted on arguing over the female he said was his. Even in his brief meeting with her something told Sesshomaru that she wouldn't like how he spoke of her.

He couldn't sleep tonight; he had far too much on his mind for sleep. Anyway, he didn't need to sleep much. Pacing his room soon became tiresome so he left his room to wonder the halls. The hallways twisted and turned in a maze like way in order to confuse trespassers, but Sesshomaru could find his way easy.

He couldn't keep his mind from making its way back to the interesting subject of this Kagome girl. She fascinated him beyond all reason and that only made him even more curious.

He could also sense something else that was strange about the girl and something he remembered hearing about her family. Her father. Sesshomaru remembered the man from when he was young and yet to have a dragon himself. There was something about him too. He had told Sesshomaru something about himself he slightly recalled. A power of some sorts a . . . holy power.

Then it stuck him, what he sensed was different about her; she was a miko and had the power her father had had. It became clear why she had not feared him as others did; it was because she had a way to defend herself.

Yet nothing about her suggested that she was a threat of any kind so it became just another noted fact in the back of his mind.

He had been walking around for a while now and found that the sun was just starting to rise from the east (it does rise over the east right?). Another hour or so and he would be leaving for the practice field. Well, he wasn't going to sleep anytime soon so why not go out early.

He slipped silently as ever through the halls to a back door on the first floor.

Sesshomaru crossed the expanse of the rather large back yard and found his way the opening of a cave. Upon his entering some of the creatures stirred, but this didn't worry him for all the dragons new him well enough. Suddenly one lashed out at him.

He dodged the blow and looked to the one that dared to attack him. It was a small purple dragon that he hadn't seen here before, 'Must have come with the wolves,' Sesshomaru thought as he cautiously passed by the unfamiliar dragon.

Finally he came to the back of the cave were it veered off into two last chambers. In one was his brother's blue dragon; the dragon was quite large for its age and was still growing. He went to the opening on his left were his dragon resided. His dragon was a fair size with red scales.

At the sound of approaching foot steps the dragon raised its massive red scaled head to look at the intruder to find it was just Sesshomaru. On the back wall of the cavern were hooks with various things hanging from them. He took down a piece that seemed to be made of thick leather and strapped it to the back of his dragon. He then led him to back to the entrance and took off for the clearing.

Sesshomaru had gone through every drill at least once before all the others had arrived alone with a few that he didn't recognize and he figured them to be some of Kouga's men.

Practice began as Sesshomaru ran his men through the drills. Just as they were getting into formation once again he was cut off by a large purple blur. Searching the skies his gaze fell upon the small dragon that had attacked him earlier. On it's back Sesshomaru caught sight of the rider. 'Kouga,' he knew right away who it was, he was the only one who was fool enough to cross him.

There was a signal from the ground and all the dragons and there riders descended at once. As soon as there dragons touched down Kouga and Sesshomaru were both racing for each other. They were caught with no more than a foot between the two.

(Both)

"What did you think you were doing?!" Sesshomaru shouted more than asked letting his anger get the better of him for a moment. When he noticed he immediately corrected the problem. "You were out of line," he said regaining his cold and emotionless composer.

Kouga smirked it was only a minute, but he had made the 'Great Sesshomaru' lose his cool. All last night he couldn't provoke him to so much as raise his voice and it gave him a certain satisfaction that he was able to ruffle him. Kouga chose to remain silent and see what Sesshomaru would do next.

It seemed that this wasn't going anywhere and Sesshomaru had not only had enough of the annoying wolf prince, but he had been out here long enough he supposed. Straightening to his full height he walked back to his dragon and mounted him. And rising into the air he headed back into the direction of the dens.

Kouga wasn't about to let him get away that easily and quickly followed.

Sesshomaru quickly glanced back to see the small purple dragon following him and as he turned his attention back in front he glanced down for a moment. Just for a moment he caught sight of long dark hair trailing into the forest. He was curious as to who had been watching them, but a he was still being tailed by that bothersome Kouga and couldn't investigate right now.

Kouga had noticed that something had caught the dog's attention, but when he looked down to the forest he didn't see anything and just shrugged it off. Kouga quickly sped up and flew beside Sesshomaru for a minute before giving him a superior sort of smirk and raced off ahead of Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru was to mature for such childish games and he briefly wondered why Kagome was seeing such an idiot. 'Then again why do I care what she does?' he thought to himself, but even to him it sounded defensive.

When Sesshomaru arrived Kouga was standing outside the dens still smirking like he was so much better. Sesshomaru calmly stepped by him and lead his dragon back to his chamber before going back in the direction of the house.

Kouga was mad, really mad. How could that jerk just ignore him like that? 'Well fine, two can play that game,' and with that he turned away like he didn't care and went back to his dragon who wanted some more exercise.

(Kouga)

It was rather boring for the young wolf prince back at the training field. Just some routine drills that at some point he let his reflexes take over.

After a few hours of this he went back to the dens and went in search of Sesshomaru. If anything was more fun it would be seeing Sesshomaru's control slightly slip.

It took him a little while to find the dog heir; he seemed to be running around a lot. His scent was moving and fast. Kouga finally caught up to him in a room at the end of a long hall. He pushed open the large wooden doors and there he was.

(Sesshomaru)

He wasn't in the mood for Kouga at the moment and was glad when the wolf left to go back to the clearing. Why did this Kouga get to him so? It puzzled him to no end seeing as he had never let anyone get under his skin like that before even for just a moment.

It was true that he had found great pleasure in annoying him last night, but it would seem the wolf prince found his own joy in irritating him as well. He sighed what had he started?

He wandered around the castle for a bit going in no particular direction. Just then he saw some of the servants rush past, they seemed to be in a hurry and very busy.

He decided to address them. "What is going on here?" his asked his cold front long since reinstated.

The two women turned around and each gave a slight 'eep' before bowing and answering the question. "Well, young master, you see Lady Higurashi and her daughter are visiting Prince Kouga and his father," one of them said trying to remain calm.

"Yes they will be attending dinner here," the other concluded and they both scurried off.

Sesshomaru found the idea of Kagome here to see Kouga . . . What was a good word for it? Unsettling? Yes that was it, but now the question was why he did so. As he thought on this he found that he had picked up his pace. Finally Sesshomaru decided on a destination and headed for the library that was just up stairs, hoping he could find some reading material that would take his mind off the current subject.

Walking up the stairs and down a long hallway he came to a set of large wooden doors which he opened and closed quickly. He looked over the shelves and settled on a book, a story really, that he hadn't heard since his mother was alive to read it to him when he was young.

Sesshomaru vaguely wondered why he would want to read this all of a sudden, but didn't dwell on it. When he was about half way through with the book there was a loud bang of the doors opening and Sesshomaru turned his head from the book to find Kouga standing in the doorway.

'Now what does he want?' Sesshomaru thought to himself as he got up and closed his book.

(Both)

Kouga practically beamed when he came upon Sesshomaru in what appeared to be a library. It had taken him long enough to find him anyway. Kouga was about to say something when he was interrupted.

"What do you want?" Sesshomaru asked in his normal cold tone not betraying at all what he truly felt; no curiosity, annoyance, or anger.

Kouga smirked; he had decided in his short visit here that he would like to see Sesshomaru lose his cool entirely and that he was just the one to do it. Kouga darted across the room headed straight for Sesshomaru. Had he been a ningen he wouldn't have been able to track Kouga's movements, but for his youkai senses it was no problem. Then--

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InuyashaForever1989: Wow that was a lot longer than I had expected, but I guess that's a good thing. Well I hope you enjoyed it . . . Well review and tell me so I don't have to just hope anymore. Till next time.


	5. Just Not Her Night

InuyashaForever1989: I know it's been almost forever since my last update, but here it is chapter 5. Things are real crazy here and with my other fics I may not be updating regularly for a while, but it will definitely get done. So enjoy the new chapter.

Warning: There's an almost rape scene toward the end so if you don't like that watch out for it!

A big thanks to all of those who reviewed (don't really have time to respond to all reviews sorry)

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Chapter 5: Just Not Her Night

Kouga smirked; he had decided in his short visit here that he would like to see Sesshomaru lose his cool entirely and that he was just the one to do it. Kouga darted across the room headed straight for Sesshomaru. Had he been a ningen he wouldn't have been able to track Kouga's movements, but for his youkai senses it was no problem. Then he stepped out of the way just in time to dodge Kouga, the so mentioned crashing head first into one of the many book cases that filled the room.

Kouga had suddenly decided this was the perfect time to pick a fight with the Western Lord's son. He made another move for him again once again missing and crashing into something. This repeated until Sesshomaru got tired of the wolf's game and decided to strike back sending Kouga flying into the far wall of the library. Just as he was about to leave the doors opened again and there stood Kagome and a Woman he assumed to be her mother.

"What happened in here?" she asked as she looked around the room seemingly stunned. Sesshomaru looked the room over once and to put it simply the room was destroyed. Most of the book cases were knocked over the books thrown all over the floor and the wall at the back of the room had a rather large dent in it.

Kouga stood up from behind a pile of the wreckage and yelled, "What the hell was that!" It was then that he noticed that Kagome and her mother were here and he felt like an idiot for shouting like he had. He immediately lowered his head hoping to make himself invisible, but no such luck.

Surprisingly Kagome focused on Sesshomaru, "What did you do to him!" she half yelled at him and he didn't look pleased with it.

"He's the one who attacked me," Sesshomaru said in his defense, though he didn't know why he felt he had to explain himself to her. Kagome turned her withering glare to Kouga who visibly flinched at the sudden attention to his person. Kouga didn't say anything in his defense because he didn't make excuses and didn't lie and anything he could have told her would be just that.

"Why did you do that?" Kagome asked still fuming and possible looking for a reason to kill someone by the glint in her brown eyes. Kouga avoided eye contact with her as he took an interest in the floor. Kagome thought he looked sad and sort of sorry for what he had done or at least that he got caught anyway. The question was; now what? Kagome gave an aspirated sigh throwing her hands in the air and turned to leave the room and Kouga chased after her.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and decided he would eat dinner tonight. Normally he didn't eat anything, but tonight it might be interesting. Looking out the window he figured that it wasn't that long from now so he left for his room to change for dinner.

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"Kagome," Kouga called out as he chased after her down the hall. Her mother had run off to see how the dinner preparations were going. Kagome refused to stop even as Kouga caught up to her which wasn't very hard for him. "Kagome, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done it and normally I really don't act this way," he tried to explain as Kagome came to a halt.

She turned around still looking angry and studied his face. He did look sorry and sad, the corners of his mouth tugged down in a frown, worry lines imprinted on his forehead from his expression, what caught her attention the most though were his eyes; they were like gateways to his emotions showing her how bad he really did feel about the whole mess.

Kagome gave a resigning sigh and smiled up at him shaking her head. "What am I going to do with you?" she asked the question more to herself than him. Kouga brightened up almost immediately which almost made Kagome want to rethink for giving him so soon.

"Dinner should be starting soon we should start heading for the dinning room," Kouga said as he took Kagome by the hand and lead her away. A minute later Kagome found herself being literally swept off her feet. "This way will be faster," Kouga explained and there was a whoosh of air all around her as Kouga began to run down the halls. He put Kagome down on unsteady legs in front what she presumed to be the doors leading to the dinning room.

She wanted to yell at him, but she was too queasy as she still swayed back and forth a bit. She felt herself start to fall over, but she was caught against something hard and, for a minute, she thought it was the wall. Looking up, she discovered it to be Kouga's chest and she found herself blushing as he pulled her in closer wrapping his arms around her waist. "Kagome," Kouga whispered softly into her ear.

She felt shivers and the urge to push him away. She tried but he wouldn't budge, he didn't even seem to notice. When his hands began to wander was when she began to summon up her spiritual energy when Kouga was suddenly pulled from her.

"What do you think you're doing, wolf?" came a cold and familiar voice and Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. When Sesshomaru had seen Kouga pawing Kagome like he was he had barely contain the need to rip the wolf's head off or at least leave him prey for Kagome's powers, but he didn't let any of this show of course.

"What the hell are you doing here?! Let me down!" Kouga yelled, struggling to get his feet back on the floor as Sesshomaru held him nearly a foot off the floor by the back of his shirt.

"If you must know, which you don't, I'm here to have dinner," Sesshomaru replied calmly and unfazed by the ookami youkai that struggled in his grasp. "Are you ok?" Sesshomaru asked not betraying any of his underlying concern for the girl who had collapsed to the floor.

Kagome nodded dumbly as she slowly lifted herself off the floor still trying to process what exactly happened. "W-we should go inside," she said, calming herself further.

"Let me down, damn it!" Kouga screamed as he had started to be ignored. Sesshomaru shrugged and finally put Kouga down rather roughly. Kouga then stormed off into the dinning room leaving one stunned Kagome and one very pissed Sesshomaru standing outside the door.

Sesshomaru's eyes softened ever so much as he went from glaring at the door to look toward Kagome. "You are sure that you are ok?" he asked a little worry running into his voice. He vaguely wondered how she could make him relax so when they had only just met.

Kagome nodded her head in response. She shouldn't have done that she soon found out as her head began to spin again. She wobbled again this time to be caught by Sesshomaru. She didn't feel the urge to escape as she had when Kouga had caught her to him. In fact she felt like she could stay there for a while. She looked up into Sesshomaru's face, blushing from her own thoughts. Strangely enough he didn't seem to mind her there either.

She did pull away though fumbling for her words and mumbling quietly, "Um, dinner. . . Go, uh." Sesshomaru smirked as if he could read her thoughts.

He could sense that she was feeling uneasy at the moment. For some reason he hadn't wanted to let go. She was so soft and the way her body fit to his, he didn't even want to think about the way it made him feel, or did he? 'Later,' he decided and turned his thoughts back to the present and ushered Kagome into the dinning room.

Dinner had been uncomfortably quiet except for Kagome's mother and Kouga's father who didn't seem to notice the almost suffocating weight in the air around their children and Sesshomaru. The three didn't even seem to eat much; all of them having their minds occupied with something else.

Kouga was plotting on how to dispose of dog breath who had so casually seated himself on the opposite side of Kagome.

Kagome was still trying to sort out exactly what the hell had happened out in the hall. She still felt a tad dizzy from the run or maybe just from thinking about everything, she wasn't to sure. One thing that was clear she really didn't mind being in Sesshomaru's arms. Her mom had insisted on her sitting next to Kouga and Sesshomaru had sat down next to her leaving her sandwiched in between.

Sesshomaru's thoughts, while one might assume from his expression that they were calm, were running wild around his mind trying to answer questions that he knew the answers to but he just didn't like how they played out in his mind.

When they finished dinner, or they just got tried of waiting for the younger ones to finish up, as the case was, Kagome and her mother were invited to stay the night. Kouga's father insured them that he had gotten the Western Lord's permission first. Kagome was hesitant at first, but, as always, Kagome's mom insisted and Kagome was overruled.

Also, after discovering the room arrangements Kagome once again felt much like a sandwich as she was once again caught between the two dragon riders.

Upon opening the doors to the room Kagome found a blue silk nightgown lying on her bed and changed into it for the night. She felt uneasy tonight and her mind was running overtime. Deciding to put thoughts of Sesshomaru and Kouga out of her head she turned her attention to the dragon egg that she had left home with Keade. She hoped it was ok, it probably was, and after all she had great trust in the older woman.

Now the question was when it would hatch or if it would hatch at all. She shook the thought from her mind, 'No, it's going to hatch,' she thought determinedly and moved on. It could hatch anywhere from now until three years from now seeing as she didn't know how long the egg had already been growing. Kagome questioned if she could care for it that long seeing as eggs took a lot of care.

Then there was the question of what to name it when it hatched. She had actually picked out names a long time ago when she was little; Apalala (A/N: a water dragon converted to Buddhist doctrine) for a girl or Falkor (A/N: the luck dragon, in The Never-ending Story) for a boy and she still thought them to be good names so that was set. She really couldn't wait; it was so exciting just thinking about it.

Kagome was pulled out of her thoughts by a knock on the door. "Who is it?" she called, but there was no answer. Instead whoever it was simply knocked again. Kagome began to get a queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach and against her better judgment she crossed the room and opened the door to a very anxious Kouga. "What do you want and why didn't you answer me?" Kagome asked rather annoyed that whatever it was couldn't wait until morning.

Instead of giving her a response he crowded the doorway and forced her back into the room following and closing the door behind himself and making sure it was locked. Kagome didn't like this one bit, Kouga was acting strange and the knot in her stomach was getting worse. "Kou--" she broke off when he turned around to discover that his eyes had become red and his mouth was twisted into a feral snarl as he advanced on Kagome.

WARNING

"Mate," Kouga's raspy voice growled out and Kagome froze.

'He couldn't mean--' her thoughts were cut off by the rough, bruising force of Kouga's lips against hers as he forced her back towards the bed. Kagome struggled as hard as she could, but it got her no where. In her jumbled mind she had the idea of using her powers but couldn't bring the thought to the surface. She found it in her to scream but it was quickly muffled by Kouga's mouth. No one heard it she was sure.

She could feel his claws tearing at her nightgown shredding it in an effort to remove the material. Removing his cloths in a similar fashion he growled as his hands moved possessively over her body. Kagome was far from enjoying his attentions. She wanted to scream and tell him to stop but had long since lost the ability to do so.

Tears leaked from her eyes as she continued her feeble attempt to get away from him causing his claws to further tear into her flesh and draw blood. "Mate, my mate," he growled again. There was a loud crash that barely registered in Kagome's mind. Suddenly Kouga's weight was gone and she felt herself being wrapped in her blanket and carried out of the room.

She kept her eyes closed the entire time, afraid of what might happen if she did open them. When she sensed she and her apparent savior had left the room she looked back and she saw Kouga's blurry form lying on the floor motionless. Looking up, her rescuers face was also blurred but he did have long white hair that she would recognize anywhere. She mumbled something that she herself couldn't understand and passed out in Sesshomaru's arms.

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Sesshomaru was standing at his window thinking when he heard what sounded like knocking, but it wasn't on his door so he ignored it going back to his earlier thoughts. 'Kagome,' he just couldn't stop thinking about that incident outside the dinning room. It wasn't like him to dwell on such things but it kept pressing to the top of his thoughts and to be honest he didn't mind all that much.

He suddenly heard what sounded like someone screaming but it had gotten cut off, it sounded close. His eyes widened the slightest as realization hit him that it had come from Kagome's room. His mind raced, what was wrong, was she hurt, and most importantly had someone hurt her. He wasn't sure why, but the thought infuriated him beyond all reason and he sped out of his room.

He ran to the door of Kagome's room faster then you could blink, hand shooting for the door knob. It was locked which only served to anger him even more. He hit the door with such force that it flew off its hinges and into the far wall of the room. Sesshomaru stood in the doorway, his emotion at the moment was bordering what seemed too horrified as he saw Kouga atop a sobbing Kagome.

His vision clouded as his eyes tinged red and the next thing he knew Kouga was on the floor unconscious and Kagome was frightened and bleeding on the bed. She appeared to have passed out which may or may not have been a good thing, he wasn't really sure. Trying to calm himself, Sesshomaru wrapped Kagome's naked body in the blanket and gathered her up in his arms to carry her out of the room.

It would seem she woke up as she lifted her head; first looking back into the room and then up to him. Her eyes were glazed over as if she weren't seeing clearly. Then she got a soft look of realization as she smiled up at him. She mumbled something he could barely hear, but was definitely sure she had said--

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InuyashaForever1989: And cut! Sorry but that's all you get this time round. I feel really evil leaving it there :) lol. Anyway until next time, Ja ne.


	6. Expectations

InuyashaForever1989: Chapter 6 at last. I'm really sorry about the wait. I thought the summer would give me more time to write but it seems like I have even less. Sigh. And to top it off I've had the worst case of writers block ever. Well, enjoy the new chapter

Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Love you all!!!!!!

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Chapter 6: Expectations

Kagome mumbled something Sesshomaru could barely hear, but was definitely sure she had said one of the last things he had expected to hear from her. : P

He quickly carried her into his room and shut the door using his foot. Setting her down on his bed he began to think on what to do next. The scratches on her body were still bleeding and needed tending to.

_Why would she say that?_ The thought came out of the back of his mind where he had pushed it. He shook his head to clear his mind. _No, now is not the time to think about that,_ he told himself and he tried to stand up from his position of kneeling beside the bed but he was stopped by a small hand on his forearm. He looked down to find Kagome had regain consciousness again and had grabbed for his arm.

"Kagome I have to go get you help," he told her and tried to get her to let go of his arm.

"NO!" she screamed and clung to his arm even more tightly. "Don't go," she whispered.

Sesshomaru sighed; he couldn't leave her like this.

"Alright, I'm not going anywhere. I promise." Her wounds still needed to be cleaned though. He looked around and his gaze landed on an open door that led to his bathroom. "Kagome, I'm going to move you so I can get you cleaned up. Is that ok?" he asked gently.

She nodded her head and Sesshomaru picked her back up and walked into the bathroom. In the bathroom was a rather large hot spring bath. Sesshomaru grabbed some towels and settled down next to the water. He started by washing off her face. Her lips were bruised and swollen but there weren't any scratches. He moved down to her neck and shoulders revealing cuts and bruises. Kagome winced and whimpered as the cloth ran over her skin.

Sesshomaru attempted to move the blanket to reveal the rest of the wounds but Kagome scrambled for the covers. "Kagome, it's ok. I'm not going to hurt you, I just need to take care of the other wounds on you," he said, using that same gentle voice. Kagome hiccupped a sob, nodded, and loosened her grip ever so slightly on the blanket.

It infuriated Sesshomaru to see the fiery girl like this and it was all he could do not to go back and finish Kouga off. He finished cleaning all of the wounds containing all of his rage filled growls as not to startle her. She had scratches and bruises all over her body but she had some particular deep gouges on her hips were Kouga seemed to have dug his nails in deeply.

When he was done he bandaged her up with the bandages he kept in the room just incase of an emergence and wrapped her in a nice clean towel and brought her back into his room and set her down on the bed.

"Sesshomaru," Kagome mumbled. She had his full attention and nothing less. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me, it should have never happened in the first place, and right next to my room as well." Sesshomaru ran his hands through her hair in a comforting gesture. He looked into her frightened eyes and her words came back to him.

"_I love you, Sesshomaru." _(A/N: I bet most of you knew it anyway)

He shook his head. It seemed he just couldn't forget. "Kagome?" he paused uncertain of what he was trying to say. She turned her head to him, a questioning look behind the lingering fear. "Did you mean what you said before?" he asked and almost immediately wished the words back. What was wrong with him? And he even sounded hopeful; hopeful for what?

Kagome's mind cleared for a moment. Never mind if she had meant it, _what_ had she said. She couldn't really remember. She had heard once that you speak more truth when you don't realize what you're saying; drunk, anger, disoriented that sort of thing. So whatever she had said she probably had meant it. She nodded her head. Something lit up in Sesshomaru's eyes but his body went still. What had she said to get such a reaction from him?

Sesshomaru was unsure what to do now. He had gotten his answer, but he didn't know what to do with it. This was strange for him. Many women had told him such things and he had never cared any of those times. Why was her confession different? Perhaps it was because she didn't care about his title or his wealth, or at least that was how she had acted anyway. Perhaps, just perhaps . . . he let his thoughts trail off their, worried about the direction they were taking him.

Sesshomaru didn't know what to say to her. He had been the one to want to know, he should say something. "I'll think about it," was all he could say. Thinking on the words a second he thought it was a really stupid response and wished he had said something else.

Kagome looked confused for a second. Had she asked him for something, or maybe offered him something. She didn't get it. He had asked her if she had meant what she said. Now she had a headache, a worse headache anyway. She put her head in her hands to try and relieve it.

Sesshomaru took this as another sign though. He began to wonder if his words had hurt her in some way. Maybe he was too insensitive. Wait, since when did he care about that? Then he looked at Kagome again. _Since right now apparently_. He let out a sigh and wrapped his arms around Kagome's shoulders. She stiffened, only for a moment, and then relaxed again.

"Ses-Sesshomaru," she stuttered as she began to lean into the embrace. He nuzzled his face in her hair and took a deep breath, and then he pulled away and nodded. _What is he doing? _Kagome wondered. Sesshomaru framed her face with his hands and looked deep into her eyes. She almost looked away, afraid of what he might see looking so far.

"Kagome," he let out along with a sigh and feeling a bit awkward; he had never done anything like this. He brushed back her bangs and lightly kissed her forehead. _Now what?_ he wondered. Maybe he loved her too, but he just wasn't sure. Would she give him time to think about it? "I'm sorry, would you just give me some time before I reply?" he asked looking into her eyes once more.

Kagome didn't even know what she was waiting for a reply to and she didn't know why he was apologizing either. Hesitantly, she nodded her head and bit back the urge to ask what it was exactly she had said, which was not an easy task. She guessed she would figure it out when she got her answer. He smiled gently at her. Damn she must be one hell of a talker when she's out of it.

Suddenly Kagome's state of dress and the closeness of Sesshomaru finally clicked in her head and she could feel her cheeks heat in embarrassment. She shifted uncomfortably on the bed and looked away from Sesshomaru.

He seemed to get the message as he backed away for a moment and returned with a set of cloths. He set them on the bed and turned around. Kagome quickly changed, also quickly finding that the cloths were his and far too large on her, but nice to sleep in she supposed.

"Thank you, for everything," she said and Sesshomaru turned around.

He was about to tell her again that she shouldn't thank him but was stopped by the scene in front of him. Kagome was smiling so sincerely and the fact she was wearing his cloths didn't help with other thoughts he was having. Although he would have to sort everything out eventually, right now probably wasn't the time to think about things like that. Anyway back to her smile. He just couldn't bring himself to do anything that might make it disappear.

He wasn't sure if it was love just yet. Or if it was that he just wasn't ready to accept it yet, but he did have some form of affection for her and that was something he couldn't deny no matter how hard he might try. Sesshomaru then cleared his throat before speaking. "If you are feeling better perhaps I should have another room prepared for you."

He headed for the door but was stopped by the sound of Kagome's voice. "Actually . . ." she paused a moment as if unsure of what she was asking.

"Go on," Sesshomaru urged her.

"Well, I just don't think I feel safe sleeping in a room by myself right now." She stopped and looked up into his eyes as if steeling herself for the next words. "So, um, could I, um, maybe, sleep in here tonight?" Her cheeks flushed and she immediately glued her gaze to the floor. _Now what, genius?_ she thought to herself.

Sesshomaru was taken back a bit by the request that she stay in his room, but handled the question calmly. "You may stay here tonight. I will have an extra bed brought in for you." He was as surprised by his answer as she was, but he really just wanted her to feel safe right now.

Kagome nodded her head while also giving an almost silent sigh of relief.

It didn't take long for the extra bed to be set up. When it was finally ready Kagome was half asleep on her feet. Sesshomaru walked over to her and lightly touched her shoulder. Kagome jumped slightly and then her eyes focused on Sesshomaru and she gave him a questioning look. "The bed is ready, Kagome."

She nodded and walked over to the small bed and tucked herself in under the soft pink blankets. Sesshomaru also got into his bed but didn't fall asleep. He lay awake listening to the sound of Kagome breathing and only when her breaths became shallow and even did he give up consciousness for the world of dreams.

-----

When Sesshomaru woke up the next morning he stayed still with his eyes closed. Something wasn't quiet right. He scented the air. Kagome was no longer in the room. He bolted up and sure enough she was no where in sight.

A feeling began to rise in Sesshomaru, one he was not accustomed to, though he had been feeling a lot of things he was not accustomed to since he'd met Kagome, but he didn't like this one. This one was of worry, maybe even fear for her. _Where is she? _His mind raced, until he heard a soft noise come from inside the bathroom. He quickly calmed himself and silently scolded himself for reacting the way he had.

Sesshomaru got up from the bed and went to the door and knocked softly. There was a small 'eek' from inside as well as the sound of something falling. "Are you alright in there?" Sesshomaru asked keeping calm although he was a bit worried about what had fallen.

"I'm fine, you may come in if you want," Kagome's muffled voice came through the door.

Sesshomaru tried to keep his hand from rushing to the knob and he slowly opened the door. Inside he found Kagome trying to clean up a container of bath salt scents which she must have knocked over when she was startled.

Sesshomaru tried not to smile at the scene before him. Kagome was dressed in a plain white dress that was wrinkled and slightly askew as if she had put it on hurriedly, which she probably had. Her Hair was still damp and wavy pieces hung over her shoulder as she kneeled and leaned over the mess trying to clean it up.

"Don't worry about it," he said as he walked over to her and offered her a hand to get up. She sighed and mumbled an apology as she lightly took his hand and stood up gracefully. For only a second their eyes locked, gold on brown, and Kagome could see the laughter in his eyes then he turned around to lead her out through the door.

"Do you find it funny that I'm a klutz?" she asked him and he turned around to look at her.

He wondered how she had known but acted normal. "Of course not," he lied through his teeth and Kagome just huffed and walked out of the room with Sesshomaru following behind her just barely holding his smile.

Sesshomaru escorted Kagome to the dinning room for breakfast. When Kagome was half done Kagome's mother, Kouga and his father all walked into the room and sat down at the table. It took all Sesshomaru had not to tear the mangy wolf apart when he sat down next to Kagome like nothing had happened except that he was unnaturally quiet.

"Good morning Kagome," her mother said to her. Kagome gave a nod in response and simply stared at her plate. "It would seem a matter has come up and we need to return home as soon as possible." Kagome looked up at her mother curiously but didn't get the answer she was looking for as her mother sat down and began to eat. Kagome finished her breakfast and excused herself until it was time to leave. Sesshomaru also left, trailing behind her.

As they got into the hallway Kouga raced out of the door and stopped right in front of them. Kagome tensed and backed up a bit into Sesshomaru just to assure herself he was there. "Kagome, may I please talk to you . . ." he stopped a second and looked behind her at Sesshomaru, "Alone, please."

Sesshomaru looked down at Kagome for her reaction and she seemed to be thinking it over. She looked over her shoulder at Sesshomaru and then back at Kouga. "I, suppose." she said to him hesitantly. She had reasoned, '_What can he do in a hallway in the middle of the morning with people all over the place?_'

Sesshomaru leaned down to Kagome and whispered, "I will not be far."

"Thank you," she replied and Sesshomaru continued down the hall and turned a corner and was out of sight. Kagome then looked at Kouga and waited for him to start talking.

"Kagome, I'm so sorry about last night," he started and Kagome didn't react. "I don't know what was wrong with me. All I could think about last night was how Sesshomaru kept trying to steal you from me and I just got so mad and the next thing I knew I had gone to your room. I really am sorry and if you'd give me a chance I would love it if you would become my mate." he finished.

Kagome didn't know what to say. Ok, she knew what to say, but not quite how to put it. She knew Kouga was sensitive and she believed him when he said that he was sorry and maybe didn't even realize what he was doing at the time. During her miko training, Kagome had learned how youkai lose control to there emotions and have tenuous control at the best of times. "I forgive you for last night," she said with a sigh, "But only just."

Kouga perked up considerably and in the blink of an eye he had his arms around her. "Thank you, Kagome. Thank you so much."

It almost killed Kagome to do this but it had to be done. "But," she started and pried Kouga off her, "I will not be your mate or anything of the sort." Kouga frowned at this not quiet understanding why she had turned him down. "You see Kouga," she stopped, Sesshomaru said he would be near by so she chose her words wisely, "There's someone else I love, I've loved him for a long time now and I can't give up on that. I'm sorry."

Kouga smiled sadly at her. "Well, He's a very lucky man," he said and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. "Just know that if it doesn't work out my offer still stands," he reminded her getting back his cocky grin. Kagome just smiled and waved good bye as she walked off down the hall after Sesshomaru.

As soon as Kagome turned the corner she ran into a hard chest. "You weren't kidding when you said you'd be close, huh?"

Sesshomaru stared hard at her. "Why did you forgive him?"

Kagome sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really know," she said smiling. Sesshomaru still didn't understand but didn't push the issue any more and quietly followed after her as she continued down the hall.

After wandering aimlessly through the halls Kagome's mother found them and rushed Kagome to the entrance and out the door. When Kagome arrived home her mother almost ran to her office, it must have been something important. It reminded Kagome that she had something important to do as well and she raced to her room.

The door flew open and Keade was nearly scared half to death. "Good heavens, child," the older woman exclaimed and sat down with a hand to her chest.

"I'm sorry Keade; I just wanted to see how the egg was doing. Oh, and I'm sorry about being gone so long, mom insisted that we stay the night," Kagome explained as she turned to the fire place.

"It's all right. I know only to well how your mother can be." Keade smiled at Kagome as she stared into the fire.

Well, it hadn't hatched yet. Kagome just continued to stare at the egg through the flames, and then she could have sworn that she had seen it move. She smiled and turned around to Keade. "Did you see that? It moved," Kagome said happily. "It's gonna hatch, it's gonna hatch, it's gonna hatch." She sang the words over and over and then fell back onto her bed just smiling.

"I am glade for ye, child. Well, if ye need me I shall be in my room," and with that Keade stood up and left the room.

Kagome was so happy. Since the dragon in the egg was moving it could hatch any day now.

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InuyashaForever1989: But not today. Yeah, it's all done and I'll try not to make it so long until the next time I update. Ja ne


	7. My Dragon's Better!

InuyashaForever1989: Hey another update from yours truly, for my number 1 story. People seem to like this one the best. Well, enjoy Chapter 7. Oh, and a big thanks to all my lovely reviewers, I just love to hear from you; it's what keeps me going.

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Chapter 7: My dragon's better!

Kagome sat in her room watching the egg from her bed. It had moved slightly a couple of times but beyond that it hadn't done much. It was early and Kagome had put enough wood on the fire so that the egg should be fine while she went out. Even so she had told Keade that she was leaving incase she got side tracked, which seemed to be happening a lot lately.

Thanks to her miko powers, most of the cuts and such from the other night had healed except for the deep claw marks that she had on her hips. She changed the bandages and then looked for something to wear. She found a faded red sun dress in her closet and slipped it on and then put her hair into a braid.

She looked back at her fireplace one last time before exiting her room and heading for the main entrance door. She looked back down the hallway one last time and saw Keade walking along heading for her room to watch the egg for her. She smiled, Keade was an excellent teacher and a very good friend, Kagome was lucky to have her.

Finally at peace Kagome was almost out the door when her mom caught her. "Kagome I hate to drag you away from, whatever it is you do every morning, but I made plans for you." (A/N: wouldn't having a mom like her drive you crazy?)

"What kind of plans?" Kagome asked just barely holding her temper. Her mom knew she went out every morning. Why would she do that to her? She was always doing that, making plans and stuff with out asking her first. One day she would have to sit her mom down and have a talk with her.

"Well, I thought you would like to go and see Kouga ride so I got you permission to be on the field so you can watch," her mother explained. But that talk would not be today.

Kagome was more then thrilled she was ecstatic, well except for the whole 'her mom thinks she likes Kouga' part. She'd have to explain that later. "Thank you, mom!" Kagome said and gave her a hug.

"Well, here's your pass and a carriage is waiting outside for you. Have fun dear," Ms. Higurashi called after her daughter as she grabbed the paper from her mother's hand and practically flew out the door and then she practically flew back inside.

"What am I wearing?" she yelled as she ran back towards her room.

Her mother caught her by the arm as she passed. "Darling, you look beautiful," she told her daughter.

"You think so mom?" she asked genuinely unsure and looking down at the dress she was wearing. She had put it on mostly because no one was going to see her. Her mother nodded her head and then she was off again, running for the door and the carriage. "Thank you so much mom!" she yelled one last time as the door slammed shut.

"Oh dear, that girl of mine." Ms. Higurashi sighed and then walked off into a hallway leading to her study.

Kagome on the other hand was riding in the carriage and she was ecstatic. Her mind was whirling with all sorts of things.

Normally unless you were a rider you weren't allowed on the training grounds. That's why Kagome had to sneak around every morning so she could watch. Today would be different; she was going to get to see them up close. She hadn't seen a dragon up close since she was a little girl, besides the one she'd seen in the cave and that one had been dying.

She began to wonder if they would seem as large as they had when she was a little girl. She knew either way they would be big, but because she had grown maybe it would be different. Well, either way, Kagome couldn't wait to get there. Maybe she would be allowed to pet one of them, which would be so cool!

Kagome had pet her dad's dragon before. The scales were cool and smooth under her hand and very hard like plates of armor. His dragon had always been so nice to her and her mother, even though her mother had been deathly afraid of it. She had always thought it strange that her mother, someone who couldn't stand dragons, and her father, a dragon rider, had gotten married. Not that she was complaining of course, but it was rather odd.

Kagome was jolted out of her thoughts as the carriage came to a stop. She peered past the curtain that was covering the window. She saw all the dragons and their riders preparing for practice. She stepped out of the carriage and stared wide eyed at all the dragons, most of which were indeed huge.

"You look like a child in a candy shop," said a deep voice and Kagome turned to find Kouga standing next to a purple dragon. The dragon seemed smaller than most of the others, but it was by no means tiny, at least not to Kagome. She heard Kouga but seemed to completely ignore him and slowly walked up to the dragon.

"Wow," was all she could manage as she gazed at the dragon. The dragon looked almost nervously at Kouga and he looked back at it giving it a nod and a smirk. It then lowered its head down to Kagome's and gave her a sniff pulling her hair forward to whip around her face.

Kagome laughed and smiled, for her this was awesome. She reached out her hand and traced the cool, hard scales on the dragon's face. The dragon let out a sound, like a rumbling purr that made Kagome giggle.

"How would you like to go for a ride?" Kouga asked. Kagome stared at him, wide eyed and mouth a gape, like she couldn't believe what he had just asked her.

Suddenly there was a large swoosh of air and Kagome could see something large and red out of the corner of her eye. When she turned Sesshomaru was getting off a large red dragon. Sesshomaru's dragon was larger than most and seeing it next to Kouga's dragon was almost comical and made the purple dragon seem even smaller. Kagome however held in any giggles she may have had as Sesshomaru approached them.

"Kagome, what are you doing here," Sesshomaru addressed said girl casting a suspicious glace in Kouga's direction, but nothing more.

"Oh, Sesshomaru, hi." She stopped a moment to examine the two riders in front of her. They both wore the same brown leather riding outfits and it made them look scarily alike, especially with there close matching heights and Sesshomaru's hair pinned back. "Well, you see, my mom got me a pass so that I could come and watch. I love dragons so much and all," she explained with a blush on her face, not thinking entirely about dragons anymore.

"Kagome," Kouga said drawing her attention to him, "Why don't you go get a riding suit right over there." Kouga pointed to a sort of makeshift changing room with racks of leather shirts and pants just like they had on.

Kagome smiled clearly excited about getting to ride a dragon and ran over to find cloths that would fit her. Sesshomaru turned to glare at Kouga. "What are you up to ookami?"

"Nothing at all, just giving a good friend a ride, that's all," Kouga responded with a smirk. "Or do you have something to say about it?"

Did he? He hadn't by any means forgotten about what Kagome had said to him. In fact he had been up all night thinking about what to say back to her, but he wasn't sure how to decipher his feelings into words. He was sure he felt some type of affection for her, he cared about her, but was it love; he wasn't quite sure.

His thoughts were interrupted as Kagome made her way back over, now wearing the same uniform as him and Kouga. Kouga made a whistling noise. "The uniform suits you, one day we'll have to bring you down to the hatchery and see if we can't get a dragon to hatch for you."

_Hopefully that won't be necessary,_ Kagome thought to herself, thinking about how the egg in her fireplace had moved and hoping it wouldn't be long now until it hatched.

Kagome was just walking up to the purple dragon when she felt an arm around her waist. "You can ride with me," Sesshomaru stated, not really leaving room for her to refuse as he picked her up and turned her toward the large red dragon.

Inside Kagome was flipping out, in a good way though. _Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. I'm going to ride with Sesshomaru, I can't believe it._ She stared at the intimidating red dragon having to lean back to see its head from so close up. It leaned down to her and it appeared to be smiling at her but it looked more like an evil grin. She smiled back at it and even said, "Hi." A rumbling sound came from deep in the dragon's chest, almost like it was laughing. Kagome smiled wider.

Some part of Sesshomaru's heart warmed at the sight before him. "Come on," he said as he wrapped his arm more firmly around her waist and jumped up to the saddle of the dragon. He strapped her into place so she wouldn't slide off and sat down in front of her and strapped in as well. Before taking off he looked down at Kouga for a moment just waiting for him to object, but Kouga just smirked back at him and prepared for take off as well.

"Shall we?" Kouga called to Sesshomaru as he and his dragon took off. Sesshomaru said nothing and simply gave his dragon a signal to take off and before Kagome knew it they were air born. At first Kagome was scared; she closed her eyes and held onto Sesshomaru for dear life.

"Relax," Sesshomaru called back to her over the wind. The first thing she did was to open her eyes and she was so close to Sesshomaru's back that all she could see was his hair whipping around. Releasing her death grip a bit, she leaned back just a little and took a quick look around. She took one look down and she was immediately glued to Sesshomaru's back again.

Sesshomaru started to shake a little and Kagome realized that he was laughing at her. "It's not funny, I've never been up this high before," Kagome shouted over the sound of the wind.

"Don't worry so much, you're strapped into the saddle. Try looking up instead of looking down," Sesshomaru yelled back.

Kagome tried doing just that and she looked straight up and let out a rather loud scream and she shut her eyes again. Where the sky should have been there was the ground, meaning they were up-side-down. "You did that on purpose," she yelled as she renewed her death grip.

"I just wanted to show you you're perfectly safe," Sesshomaru explained over his shoulder.

"Well that was not the way to do it," Kagome said as she peeked out and looked around again. At least they weren't up-side-down anymore. She tried not to look down and it wasn't so bad and after a few minutes Kagome got up the courage to look down again and that wasn't so bad either. It still scared the hell out of her, but she could look at least, besides she'd have to get used to it if she was going to have her own dragon.

About a half an hour later Kagome felt like trying to take on the loops and such. The first few minutes she wished she hadn't but she got through them. "Are you having fun?" Sesshomaru asked.

"This is amazing!" Kagome yelled out into the wind. Suddenly a purple blur flew past them and Kouga started to fly circles around them. The wind swept Kagome's hair around her and she laughed as she watched Kouga fly. Sesshomaru, however, was getting pissed off and started to speed up. Kouga kept pace beside him easily and looked over with a smirk.

"Bet you can't do this with him," Kouga shouted over and went in to a spinning dive. Kagome gasped as he was about to hit the ground, but he pulled up just seconds before and made a steep climb back up to where they were.

Sesshomaru just smirked back. "Hold on tight," he said back to Kagome and her eyes widened as she felt the dragon start to descend. As the dragon picked up speed Kagome started to scream and she closed her eyes just as they were about to hit the ground when she felt a sudden jerk and opened her eyes to find they to had pulled up in time.

Sesshomaru flew back up to Kouga and smirked again. "And by the way, it's a female," Sesshomaru informed Kouga smugly. Kagome looked kind of surprised.

"It's a girl?" she asked.

"Yes, her name is Akako," Sesshomaru explained.

"How do you tell the difference?" Kagome asked.

"Well, there are other ways to tell, but I only know because of the link I share with her," Sesshomaru said.

"Oh," Kagome said and suddenly they were moving again and fast. Kouga was right beside them again, showing off. He was spinning around, circling them, and doing all sorts of air tricks. Kagome started to wonder if he would show her how to do some of them when her dragon was big enough to ride.

Sesshomaru noticed how caught up Kagome had become watching Kouga fly and an ugly feeling rose up inside him and he realized he was jealous. Shaking his head Akako turned her head slightly to look back at him and he told her he was fine through their mental link, but because of that link she knew he was lying. Akako eyed this Kagome girl before turning her head back to the open sky before her.

They did a sudden flip and it brought Kagome's attention back to Sesshomaru and she smiled at him. Akako did a series of flips and turns that Sesshomaru had not instructed her to make but it seemed to captivate Kagome's attention. In Sesshomaru's mind he could feel Akako smirking at him like she had done something so great. She was reading his mind and knew he wanted her attention so she was getting it for him.

Akako was a great friend to Sesshomaru and always knew what to do and how he felt even when Sesshomaru himself did not. Perhaps he could talk to her about Kagome. It certainly couldn't hurt. They flew around for hours, Sesshomaru and Kouga both trying to out do each other, but Kouga every now and then seemed like he was slacking and Sesshomaru would always look better because of it.

Finally they came in for a landing and Sesshomaru helped Kagome down. Kagome's legs felt funny from sitting the way she had been for so long. She looked up at Akako and Akako bent her down and nuzzled Kagome's cheek and Kagome giggled as the dragon's warm breath stirred her hair.

Kagome turn to Sesshomaru and thanked him for the ride. "It was amazing, Sesshomaru, thank you so much," she said and gave him the brightness smile he'd ever seen. "I really do have to be going now though." Kagome started off for the carriage and she saw Kouga landing and waved to him on her way by. Kouga waved back and Kagome got into the carriage and it started away.

'_She seems like a nice girl,_' a voice said in Sesshomaru's head. Sesshomaru turned to Akako.

'_Yes and I wish to speak to you about her,_' Sesshomaru inform her and she nodded her head.

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Kagome finally made it home and she ran to her room, completely blowing off her mom who was trying to ask her how things had gone. In her room she found Keade sitting down watching the fire intently and the egg still sitting in the fireplace.

Kagome walked over to the fireplace and kneeled before the egg. She grabbed a poker and shifted one of the pieces of wood when she heard a crack and the egg shook. A small piece of the egg was broken off and she could see the end of a dragon muzzle sticking out of the hole. She quickly used the poker to pull the egg from the flames as a crack form all the way along the egg. One more violent shake and the egg cracked open completely.

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InuyashaForever1989: Hahahaha! Sorry not this time a round, you'll have to wait till next time to find out what color it is. Please review and please no flames and I'll update as soon as possible. And if you've been reading my other fics you'll know that I've been fixing up the previous chapters and this one is no different, I went through all the chapters and fixed the grammer and spelling and such. Well, ja ne.


	8. Explanations and Realizations

InuyashaForever1989: Here it is the chapter most of you have been waiting for. Enjoy! And thanks to all my lovely reviewers

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Chapter 8: Explanations and Realizations

Kagome walked over to the fireplace and kneeled before the egg. She grabbed a poker and shifted one of the pieces of wood when she heard a crack and the egg shook. A small piece of the egg was broken off and she could see the end of a small dragon muzzle sticking out of the hole. She quickly used the poker to pull the egg from the flames as a crack formed all the way along the egg.

The muzzle let out a small noise, a sort of cry, like it was calling out for its mother. Kagome suddenly felt sad remembering how the large brown dragon had died and would never get to see its baby. The dragon gave another cry and drew back Kagome's attention.

Looking closely she discovered that it looked white. Kagome thought that was odd; she had never heard of a white dragon before. As Kagome stared at the egg it shook again and the crack parted about an inch. Kagome looked carefully though the crack and the dragon did indeed look white.

There was another shake and pieces went flying in different directions and Kagome saw what looked like a little white dragon stumble about the pieces that had remain relatively in place. She felt a breeze that came through an open window and ruffled the curtains and the light filtered through just right and for the moment that it hit the dragon it seemed to glimmer. Kagome studied the little dragon and wondered for a second if he was truly white or not.

Suddenly the little dragon seemed to notice that it wasn't alone and it gave a little screech of surprise as it came upon Kagome, still seeming not to notice Keade and for that matter Kagome had for gotten about her elderly teacher as well.

It looked at her shyly and took a small step towards her and gave the air in front of it a sniff, testing the scent trying to see if Kagome was a friend or not. Kagome smiled, a small smile she hoped would calm the little dragon, and reached out her arms to it. The dragon stayed still for a second, unsure of what to do, then it made a little noise, that Kagome found absolutely adorable, and ran towards her. The 'little' dragon was apparently heavier then he appeared because when it tackled her it knocked her over onto the floor on her butt.

There was a sudden flash of light and the room faded away and Kagome's surroundings became white. "What just happened?" Kagome asked no one in particular as she stood up.

"Hi!" said a young voice. It sounded like a child's voice, a little boy.

"Who said that?" Kagome asked the voice as she looked around and saw no one.

"Down here!" the voice said again. Kagome looked down and saw the little white dragon down at her feet, just barely coming to her knee. Kagome gasped, she didn't know what she was expecting but it certainly wasn't this.

Kagome bent down and picked up the dragon and smiled at it. She giggled, petted it's head, and thought it was just the most adorable thing she'd ever seen. It began to wiggle around. "Don't treat me like a baby! Put me down," he said, Kagome thought, quite cutely.

Kagome giggled again and put him down. "Hi, I'm Kagome," she introduced herself.

The dragon nodded back up at her. "I'm Mamoru," it introduced back. (A/N: Mamoru means protect and incase you were wondering about how to pronounce it 'MAH mor oo')

Kagome looked at him in surprise. "You have a name already?" Kagome asked him confusedly.

"Yep, my mommy gave it to me when I was still just an egg. She said I was destined to protect someone," Mamoru explained. Kagome again felt bad for the poor dragon but shock the feeling quickly.

"Oh," Kagome said as she looked thoughtful and a bit disappointed, but it didn't last long. "So where are we?" she asked, looking around again. Everything was so completely white that she couldn't tell where the walls began or ended or if perhaps they just kept going on forever, but she didn't really want to test out her theories.

"Bonding," he said simply. Kagome just stared at Mamoru for a minute before he continued his explanation, "I was born to protect you. We are partners, dragon and rider. Right now, we're being bound together, mind and spirit. Understand?" Mamoru gave the better explanation.

At a loss for words Kagome just dumbly nodded her head up and down. The room started to get really bright again and Kagome figured they were going back to reality. "Wait, one more question before we go. Why are you white?" she asked hurriedly.

"First off I'm not white. Second, you can talk to me whenever you want now, not just here. I'll be able to hear your thoughts so you just have to think something and I'll hear it," he answered her and the white began to fade back to the familiar surroundings of Kagome's room.

"I've never heard of a white dragon before," Keade said, both bringing Kagome back to her senses and reminding her that the older woman was still in the room. Kagome just stared quietly at Mamoru.

"He's . . . not white," Kagome said, but she sounded distracted, keeping her gaze on the young dragon. She picked up Mamoru and brought him to the window and threw back the curtains. In the sunlight he sparkled a pale silver.

"My," Keade spoke breathlessly.

"His name is Mamoru," Kagome informed her old teacher.

"Mamoru?" Keade asked, confusedly. "That's not one of the names that you had planned to use," she recalled.

"His mother gave him that name." Kagome smiled down at the little dragon in her arms. Mamoru began to wriggle again wanting to be put down and Kagome set him down on her bed.

Keade smiled at Kagome as the girl did so. "Well, child, I should be going," Keade said as she stood to leave. She crossed the room to the door, but stopped as she passed by Kagome and put a hand on the younger woman's shoulder. "You must take great care with him, allow him to depend on you and so must you depend on him. You will need to protect each other," and with that Keade left them alone.

Kagome knew Keade was right, but she didn't see why the woman was so serious about it just now. Mamoru was just a baby and the biggest problem Kagome could see right now was getting him registered. Kagome sighed and sat down on her bed next Mamoru.

Yes that would be the first thing she would have to do and she'd have to manage it with out getting into trouble. They couldn't take Mamoru from her, because they were bound together now, but who knows what they would do. Kagome's mind sorted out some possibilities like: they could lock her up, give her a fine, punish her mother somehow, or anything else. Who knows?

Mamoru took one of his front feet and place it on Kagome's hand. _'Don't worry Kagome. I won't let anything happen to you.'_

Kagome smiled down at the little dragon. _'Thank you, Mamoru.'_ But she still needed to figure something out. Maybe she could ask someone, but who could she ask about this? '_Sesshomaru, he could help,' _Kagome thought.

'_Who's this Sesshomaru?' _Mamoru demanded.

Kagome looked down at him and a blush spread across her face. _'He's . . . he's a friend,' _Kagome stuttered out.

Mamoru stretched his neck to look at her more closely. _'A friend?'_ he asked looking at her a little suspiciously. Kagome nodded her head rapidly. Mamoru finally decided to relax and just let it go even though he still thought something was off.

Kagome looked out the window and saw that it had become dark and she wondered just how long she had been bonding with Mamoru, although she had come home a little late it hadn't been dark at all. She shrugged her shoulders and decided that it was about time for dinner.

Almost as if others could hear her thoughts as well someone called loud and clear down the hall. "Dinner's ready," the voice said down the hall and she poked her head out of her room and say a maid standing at the bend at the end of the hallway.

"I'll be right there," she called out to the girl and quickly pulled her head back into her room. _'I have to go eat. I can't bring you with me because my mom would freak; she doesn't like dragons, but I'll bring you back something, ok?'_

Mamoru simply nodded his head in understanding, although he wondered briefly why the woman didn't like dragon, and then Kagome left down the hall toward the dinning room. Once she arrived in the dining hall Kagome ate as slowly as humanly possible so that she would be the last one in the room so that no one would see her when she took some food back for Mamoru.

About halfway through the meal Mamoru got a bit impatient and decided to ask Kagome what was taking so long. _'Kagome, how much longer are you going to be gone?' _his voice whined and seemed to echo through the room.

Kagome gasped and suddenly started to look around the room, but Mamoru was no where to be found. _'Where are you?' _Kagome asked on the edge of panicking.

'_In your room of course,'_ Mamoru answered back as if it should had been as plain as day. _'How much longer 'till you come back?' _he asked again in only a slightly less whinny voice.

'_Well,' _Kagome started, a bit unsure of herself, _'I have to wait for my mom to go so when I take the food for you she won't get suspicious.'_

'_Ooohhh, I see,' _and then it was quiet and Kagome looked towards her mother who was looking at her strangely, concerned one might say. "Kagome, dear, is everything alright?" Mrs. Higurashi asked sounding just a bit more then a little worried about her daughter's unusual actions.

"I-- I'm fine. Just thought I saw something odd is all," Kagome lied and went back to her plate. When her mother had finally left for the night Kagome practically inhaled whatever was left on her plate and then gathered up something for Mamoru to eat.

'_Now, what do dragons eat?' _Kagome wondered to herself while she scanned the leftovers on the table.

'_Meat,' _Mamoru answered her and it took all Kagome had not to look around the room again in search of the little dragon.

'_Right,' _she stated and then set to work and made up a plate of the roast beef that they had had for dinner. Kagome walked back to her room, careful to avoid anyone who walked by her. She hid behind statues and dived into other rooms to stay out of sight. She was really bad at lying and didn't want anyone asking her any questions about the food that she didn't really want to answer. When she finally made it to her room Mamoru was sitting on her bed waiting for her.

'_I'm, back,' _Kagome said, stating the obvious. Mamoru gave what looked like a smile but with his sharp teeth and everything it looked really evil.

Kagome set the plate on the dresser that was in her room and Mamoru jumped from the bed and glided over to the dresser. Kagome stared on in amazement as he did so. As soon as he landed he dug into the food.

Kagome sat down in a chair next to the dresser. _'We'll go see Sesshomaru tomorrow. I know he'll help us out,'_ she told Mamoru. The little dragon looked up from his plate for only a moment before going back to eating.

(With Sesshomaru)

'_She seems like a nice girl,_' a voice said in Sesshomaru's head. Sesshomaru turned to Akako. (A/N: I forgot to do this last chapter but Akako means 'red child' and it's pronounced (AH kah koh))

'_Yes and I wish to speak to you about her,_' Sesshomaru inform her and Akako nodded her head.

Sesshomaru watched the carriage as it rode off and then he jumped back up to the saddle on Akako's back and they flew back to the dragon dens shortly after Kagome's carriage had driven out of sight. The ride back was quiet, neither one of them talked and even though this was normal, Sesshomaru felt a little awkward with the silence that hung between them.

Akako could sense how uncomfortable Sesshomaru was and it made her uneasy. She had never seen her rider this way and she wondered what exactly had him so wound up. When they finally arrived he took Akako back to her particular den and took off her saddle and such and hung the equipment on the walls.

_'So what's on your mind?'_ Akako asked.

_'To be honest . . . I'm not sure,'_ Sesshomaru answered. He let out a long sigh and ran a clawed hand through his long silver hair, watching as it fell from his sight back to its natural place behind him. He never tied it when he was riding, like his brother did, he liked to feel the wind rush through it.

_'Don't give me that, of course you are sure, other wise you wouldn't have said that we needed to talk. Now, does it have something to do with that girl?'_ Akako asked, getting right to the point.

_'Yes,'_ Sesshomaru said, also not one to beat around the bush. _'I'm just not sure about her.'_

_'What do you mean you're not sure about her?'_ Akako shot another question and watched her rider carefully, awaiting his answer.

Sesshomaru was silent for a time wondering exactly how to explain his predicament to her. _'Well, she told me that she loved me and I'm not sure what kind of answer to give her,'_ he explained giving her the short version, leaving out the events that had led to such a confession from the girl.

Akako smiled at the confused inu youkai. _'That's simply my dear rider, the kind that comes from your heart. One honest confession deserves another don't you think so? I know you're used to thinking with your head but these types of situations do not call for such a thing and you must listen to your heart for the right answer.'_

Sesshomaru looked at Akako even more confused than before. He had always listened to his head and listening to his heart, well, he wasn't so sure about that._ 'We shall see,'_ was all he said before he turned and headed for the exit.

_'Sesshomaru,'_ Akako called, _'she seemed like a very nice girl.'_ Sesshomaru stopped for only a second then continued walking a small semblance of a smile gracing his lips as he walked through the passageway leading out of the caves.

_That baka, he can't even see something so obvious, _Akako thought to herself, shaking her massive head as she watched Sesshomaru's retreating back. When he was out of sight she rolled her eyes and lay down on the stone floor to take a nap.

Sesshomaru wandered through the halls trying to figure out what it was his heart was trying to tell him. He wasn't very practiced in it. Akako had been right; he was too used to using his head so he had trouble understanding what his heart was trying to tell him. It was trying to tell him something though, it was a feeling, something he hadn't felt in a long time, but it wasn't bad.

Maybe it was trying to tell him that he loved Kagome as well? He couldn't quite tell. Had he even known her long enough to be in love? How long exactly did it take to fall in love? Or maybe it was just an infatuation? Was it even that? Sesshomaru's head began to spin just trying to sort out his thoughts.

_'You're trying to hard to reason out something so simple,'_ Akako butted in to his thoughts.

_'You were listening?'_ Sesshomaru asked.

_'Kind of hard not to when your thoughts are so loud and frantic,'_ Akako shot back.

Sesshomaru heaved an internal sigh. _'I'm just not used to this sort of thing. I'm always in control of my emotions but whenever I think of her they wreak havoc on me.'_

Akako sighed as well, she didn't want to give him the answer, but he seemed so lost that he would never find it on his own. She wondered to herself if she should tell him that he was obviously in love or not. She decided to try one last thing before she just flat out told him. _'Sesshomaru, what do you think love is?' _she asked.

_'. . . . I don't know,'_ he replied.

_'Come on just think for a second. You have a love for your father, brother, even if you won't admit it, and you certainly loved your mother,'_ Akako urged him, hoping he would come to the realization on his own.

Sesshomaru thought about that; he sorted out everything, dissected them, and then compared them. His love for his father seemed more like a respect and he did respect Kagome, she was strong, brave, and very forgiving. The feeling he had for his brother was more of a protective feeling and after the night before he knew he was protective of her. As for his mother . . . he could barely remember how he had loved his mother. What he recalled about it was a warm, happy feeling. _I could never hide . . . my . . . emotions . . . from her,_ he thought brokenly as realization dawned on him.

_'Get it now?'_ Akako asked. Sesshomaru didn't answer and just stood dumbstruck in the middle of the hallway he had been walking down.

_I love her,_ he thought to himself. Akako simply smiled and went back to the nap she had been trying to take. Sesshomaru somehow made it to his room even though he hadn't made a conscious effort to get there and he pulled open the door. He paced around the room for a time before he finally fell back on his bed that one thought still playing through his mind; _I love her._

(Back with Kagome the next morning)

'_Kagome, Kagome,' _a voice called out to her through the sleepy haze that she was currently in.

"What?" Kagome mumbled out loud. She lifted her head and stared unseeingly at Mamoru.

'_Kagome it's time to get up. Someone already called you down for breakfast,' _the little silver dragon informed her.

'_What!' _Kagome asked/screamed, this time in her head, as she threw the covers off of her and ran for her closet. Kagome looked through her cloths frantically when she heard a noise. The noise was somewhere between a squeak and a squawk.

'_Get this thing off of me,'_ Mamoru complained. Kagome turned around to see the pile of her blanket moving around on the floor. She giggled and reached for the blanket and pulled it back only to discover . . . . . .

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InuyashaForever1989: And that's it for this chapter. Yes I know it's a cliffy, Muhahahahahaha, I know it's evil and I wouldn't have it any other way. See you guys next chapter and don't forget to review, I love all of you who do Ja ne.


	9. Introductions

InuyashaForever1989: OMG! Yes, I'm still alive here. Sorry for the long wait, the last couple months of school my teacher went crazy and I had no time to write but here it is at last. Chapter 9. A big thank you to all my lovely reviewers.

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Chapter 9: Introductions

'_Get this thing off of me,'_ Mamoru complained. Kagome turned around to see the pile of her blanket moving around on the floor. She giggled and reached for the blanket and pulled it back only to discover that Mamoru was at least twice the size that he had been when Kagome had gone to bed and he was now also a darker more noticeable silver, but she was a little focused on his size at the moment.

'_What happened to you?'_ Kagome asked looking at the not quite as little dragon in front of her.

Mamoru looked at her and tilted his head to side. '_What do you mean?'_

'_You're bigger,'_ Kagome stated the obvious.

'_Of course I a_

_m, I'm a growing dragon after all,'_ Mamoru stated proudly.

Kagome wondered at this for a moment, just staring in amazement then she shook her head. _'But now we have a problem,' _she pointed out.

'_What's that?' _Mamoru asked.

'Well, I was planning on getting you out of the house though my window,' she said pointing to a pretty decent sized window. _'I'm not sure you're going to fit now.'_

Mamoru looked at the window dubiously. _'I don't think it's going to work now but I'll give it a shot.' _Mamoru put his two front feet on the window sill and pushed himself through the window, sort of. Halfway through he snagged and then began to struggle.

Kagome just stared at Mamoru's frantically waving silver tail and flailing feet as he tried desperately to get through the window. _'We'll just have to find another way to get you out of here,'_ Kagome sighed.

'_I would agree but I'm afraid I'm stuck,'_ Mamoru informed her.

'_What?!' _Kagome said, just barely keeping herself from saying the word out loud.

'_I can't get outside and . . .'_ the little dragon paused and struggled a little, _'I can't get back in either.'_

'_Oh no, oh no! Ummm, let's see.' _Kagome put a hand on either side of Mamoru and tried to pull him back inside.

'_Ow, ow, ow. That hurts?' _Mamoru complained Kagome immediately stopped pulling and tried to look around Mamoru and out the window. Mamoru was out of the window just far enough so the top of his wings were outside and the slightly curved spike on each wing was caught on the window and keeping him from being pulled back in.

'_We're just going to have to get you out then,' _Kagome said. Kagome started to push but Mamoru didn't budge. _'Come on Mamoru, help me out here.' _

Mamoru put his two front feet against the outside wall and they pushed at the same time. Mamoru started to move but not much. The little silver dragon flattened himself as much as possible. When he did that he suddenly flew out the window. Kagome almost fell but caught herself on the sill and slowly lowered herself to her knees where she tried to catch her breath.

'_Mamoru, are you ok?'_ Kagome asked.

'_I think I tore my wing.'_

"What?!" Kagome practically yelled and this time she did say it out loud. She instantly shot to her feet and looked out the window. Mamoru was sitting about a foot from the window holding out his right wing and from the top of the wind to about the middle there was a rip in the membrane.

'_Oh my god! Are you going to be ok?'_

'_It hurts a lot,' _was all he said.

'_Stay right there I'll be right out,' _Kagome said as she ran around the room frantically trying to get dressed. She threw on an ice-blue, sleeveless dress quickly brushed out her hair, and ran for her door.

She raced down the hall, completely blowing off her mother in the process.

"Kagome, Kagome," she could hear her mother call after her but she ignored it. She ran out the front door but just as she did she turned around and ran back in and opened a door off the hallway and grabbed a box off the shelf in the small closet then made for the door again.

She ran around about half the house before she found Mamoru. The little dragon was sitting right where Kagome had left him. Opening the box she had brought with her she knelt down to him. 'Let me see it.'

Mamoru stretched out his wing again and Kagome patched it up with ointment and bandages. 'That ointment should help with the pain too,' Kagome said.

'Thank you,' Mamoru said as he turned away from Kagome.

'Mamoru?' Kagome asked, worried that his wing still hurt or something.

'I'm fine, it's just . . .' Mamoru trailed off and he hunched his shoulders like he was trying to look smaller.

'Mamoru?' Kagome questioned softly.

'I'm supposed to be the one protecting you, but now I've got you running around worrying about me and trying to help me.'

Kagome blanked for a minute and didn't know what to say then Kaede's words came back to her.

_/"You must take great care with him, allow him to depend on you and so must you depend on him. You will need to protect each other,"/_

'Mamoru,' Kagome started, grabbing the silver dragon's attention. 'We have to protect each other. We're partners now and you have to accept that I'm going to protect you as much as you protect me. Ok?'

Mamoru was quiet for a minute as he just stared at Kagome then he nodded his head and stood up. 'Alright. Are you ready to go?'

'Go? Oh, right! Yeah, let's get going,' Kagome said, embarrassed that she had completely forgotten about going to see Sesshomaru. She stood up and looked at the position of the sun it was to late to go see him practicing so she would have to find some way to get Mamoru into a carriage.

She and Mamoru snuck over to the stables and she saw one carriage returning. 'Oh, no! Mamoru you have to hide quickly. We can't let him see you,' Kagome said a bit frantic.

'What is it? What's wrong?' Mamoru asked as he stiffened battle ready.

'Mamoru, no. It's my little brother and he's got a big mouth. If he sees you the whole world will know about you within the hour,' Kagome explained. (A/N: I bet you thought he wasn't going to be in here at all )

Mamoru relaxed and ran behind a particularly large tree. 'Sorry,' Kagome heard him almost whisper.

'It's ok. I'll be right back,' she said as she walked over to the stables as a young boy 13/14 with short black hair and brown eyes stepped out of the carriage.

"Hey, Souta!" Kagome said cheerfully to her little brother. "Did you have fun at Shippou's?"

Souta looked at his sister suspiciously. "Since when do you care?" he asked and Kagome just smiled.

"What? I can't be nice to my cute little brother?" she asked in a baby talk voice as she pinched his cheek.

Souta shook his head to make her let go and ran away screaming, "Mom! Kagome's completely lost it!"

Kagome's smile turned into a smirk and she looked around for the driver. He had gone into the stables to put the horses away. Kagome peeked her head in and found him feeding and watering the horses. 'Mamoru get in the carriage now,' she said to the little dragon.

"Excuse me," she said to get his attention. "Could you please set the carriage up again? I have to go to the Western Place."

"Yes, Miss," he said and went to take out a couple other horses and Kagome went back over to the carriage. The carriage door was closed when she remembered it had been open so she assumed that Mamoru had gotten in as she had told him to.

Kagome opened the door to see Mamoru sitting nicely on the seat to her right. She jumped a little when she heard the doors to the stables open and the driver, she believed his name was Ikki, came out with the horses. (A/N: Pronounced EEK kee) She quickly hopped into the carriage with Mamoru and sat across from him shutting the door behind her.

After a few minutes the carriage started off towards the palace and Kagome wondered just how the hell she thought she was going to get in there with out anyone seeing Mamoru.

'_You didn't plan this out very well, did you?' _Mamoru asked.

'_Well, no, I didn't. Oh, what am I going to do?'_ She could have sent a note ahead of her so Sesshomaru could have been ready but it was a little late for that.

'_Talk to him,' _Mamoru suggested.

'_What do you mean talk to him? How am I supposed to do that?'_ Kagome asked.

'_Seek him out and talk to him. Like you talk to me,' _Mamoru explained.

'_I can do that?' _she asked, surprised.

'_It's not as easy as when you talk to me. You have to find him first, but yes you can.'_

Kagome closed her eyes and seeing as she had no other way she used her miko powers to find him. Mamoru had been right it wasn't easy, for a minute Kagome wasn't sure she was going to be able to reach the palace. When she did she searched for the familiar aura. She found an aura that seemed to be Sesshomaru's yet it was different somehow.

'_Hello?' _she asked carefully.

'_What the hell?' _the person said back.

That was definitely not Sesshomaru. 'Uh, sorry,' Kagome said and started to pull back to look for Sesshomaru again.

'Hey, wait,' the voice said. 'Who the hell are you?'

'Sorry, I was looking for Sesshomaru,' Kagome explained, avoiding the question.

'Why are you looking for that bastard?' the voice asked.

'He's not a bastard and I need his help!'

'Ok, ok, calm down. Is there anything I can do to help, 'cause Sesshomaru's not here right now?'

There was a long pause until Kagome asked, 'Who are you?'

'I'm Inuyasha, Sesshomaru's brother. You still haven't told me who you are though.'

'Oh, well I'm Kagome Higurashi. I'm, well, I'm in a bit of a situation here that I had hoped Sesshomaru could help me out with. I'm on my way over there now and I have something with me that I can't let anyone see and --'

'I get it. Don't worry, I'll take care of things over here,' Inuyasha interrupted.

'Thank you very much,' Kagome said.

'Feh, just don't get used to it.'

With that Kagome pulled back and rolled her eyes. 'How rude,' she thought. She and Mamoru rode on in silence for the rest of the ride and when they arrived she heard someone direct Ikki off to the side.

After they had stopped she peeked out the window and saw a man with long white hair and dog ears talking to Ikki. The man was wearing a white shirt, red jacket, and red pants. She didn't know quite why but she had the strongest urge to feel his ears.

Suddenly, Ikki got up and walked away and around a corner and the white haired man, who she assumed was Inuyasha, opened the door for her.

"So what kind of situation is this exactly and what's this thing that you can't let anyone see?" he asked as she got out.

"Well," Kagome started and then she looked back at the carriage. Inuyasha looked at it as well just as Mamoru stepped out.

Inuyasha's jaw dropped as he stared at the small silver dragon then he looked over at Kagome. "Where did you get that?! There haven't been and recent hatchlings in the hatchery."

"That's because he didn't come from the hatchery. I . . ." Kagome paused for a moment and looked over at Mamoru. Mamoru nodded his head and Kagome continued, "I found his dieing mother in the forest and she gave me his egg. I kept it in the fireplace in my room until he hatched yesterday.

"I need to get him registered, but I don't want to get in trouble for keeping his egg instead of turning it in. I was hoping Sesshomaru could help me with that,' Kagome explained.

"How do you know Sesshomaru anyway?" Inuyasha asked.

"Well, umm, we met at the dragon riders ball and we became friends," she said.

"Uh huh," Inuyasha said a bit suspiciously. "Well, like I said before Sesshomaru's not here right now. He wasn't even at practice this morning even though Akako is gone too. I'm not sure where he went or when he'll be back either."

"I see," Kagome said, disappointed.

"I guess I could help you out though," he offered.

"Really?"

"Yeah, but you owe me big time for this. Got it?" Inuyasha told her and led her over to a door that led into the palace. They made there way through the winding hallways and Kagome couldn't understand how Inuyasha and Sesshomaru could find their way around this place so easily.

'_Well, they have grown up here. If you spend that much time anywhere you're going to learn your way eventually,' _Mamoru pointed out.

'_I guess so,'_ Kagome agreed.

Inuyasha stopped in front of a door that opened into an office. "Well, here we are," he announced and walked over to the desk and opened a draw. He pulled out papers and began to fill them out. A few lines down he looked up from the papers. "What's its name?"

"_His_ name is Mamoru," Kagome answered.

"And how big was he yesterday?"

"Yesterday? He came up to about my knees.' Inuyasha nodded his head and went back to the papers. "Thank you," Kagome said suddenly and Inuyasha looked up. "You know, for helping me and everything." Inuyasha just rolled his eyes and looked back down at the papers.

"Hey! What's your problem? I just said thank you, you could be a little nicer like maybe saying you welcome or something. You know, manners," Kagome said quite ticked off.

"Feh. Just take a seat and be quiet would you? I don't have to do this you know," Inuyasha said without looking up from the papers.

Kagome huffed and sat down in a chair on the other side of the desk and looked around for Mamoru and saw his silver tail sticking out from behind the side of the desk that Inuyasha was sitting on. _'Mamoru, what are you up to?'_ Kagome asked.

'_You'll see,'_ he said and then everyone just sat there quiet and waiting.

Inuyasha finally finished the papers and held them out to Kagome. "Here just bring these to the hatchery and hand them in at the desk there. Everything will be fine."

"Thank you again," Kagome said. There was a loud yell from Inuyasha and Mamoru came running out from behind the desk with a piece of red cloth in his mouth.

"Mamoru!" Kagome scolded out loud.

'_He had it coming being so rude to you like that,' _Mamoru said as he ran behind Kagome.

"What the hell was that for?" Inuyasha yelled at Mamoru.

"Apparently it was for being rude to me," Kagome explained. _'Although, you still shouldn't have done it,'_ Kagome added to Mamoru. "I'm very sorry about that."

"Yeah, well, whatever."

"Inuyasha," a voice suddenly called from the hallway. Everyone looked at the door as the handle turned. In walked a woman with long brown hair and brown eyes also dressed in red and white; a white shirt and red skirt. She looked a little like Kagome only a little older.

"Kikyo, hey," Inuyasha said and walked over to the woman.

"Who's this?" she asked, indicating Kagome.

"This is Kagome, Sesshomaru's _friend_," Inuyasha introduced and Kagome didn't like the way he had said the word friend.

"I see," Kikyo said and a small smile came to her face. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Kikyo."

"It's nice to meet you as well," Kagome said back.

"Be good to Sesshomaru; he doesn't have many friends," Kikyo said.

Kagome couldn't help but smile even though she thought it was a strange thing to say. It sounded like something you'd say to a bride. "Well, I should probably being going. Good bye," Kagome said and walked out into the hallway. She took a look back real quick only to see Inuyasha and Kikyo kissing. She turned a way and blushed and started walking a bit faster.

Kagome wasn't watching where she was going and she ran into someone and then she hit the floor. "Kagome, are you alright," a familiar voice asked.

She looked up and sure enough it was Kouga and he was reaching out his hand to help her up. "Yeah, I'm fine," Kagome said as she took his hand. He pulled her up to her feet and she brushed herself off. "Thanks."

Kouga didn't seem to be paying attention as he seemed to be staring, transfixed on something behind her. Kagome turned around and saw Mamoru staring back at the ookami youkai. "Uh, yeah, he just hatched yesterday," Kagome said and laughed a bit nervously.

"Wow, nice. Silver, huh?"

"Yeah," Kagome said.

"If you're here looking for Sesshomaru he's not here. Haven't seen the stupid inu all day actually," Kouga told her.

"Oh, I know he's not here, Inuyasha told me," Kagome explained.

"So, you've met the mutt I see."

"He's not a mutt, don't call him that!" Kagome scolded him.

"Well, he kinda is being a hanyou and all," Kouga said putting his hands up defensively.

"Who cares if he's a hanyou? It's not nice going around calling people names all the time. Inuyasha just helped me out even if he was a bit rude and I don't appreciate you talking about Sesshomaru the way you do either," Kagome practically fumed.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry. Damn," Kouga said in defeat.

"Kouga!! I've finally found you! Where have you been?!" a woman yelled down the hall. Kouga stiffened and went pale. He turned around slowly and gave the red haired girl an awkward smile.

"Hey, Ayame. (A/N: did I spell that right?) Um, I was just--"

"Who is she?!" Ayame asked, still yelling even though she was right next to them.

"Uh, hi. I'm Kagome, it's nice to meet you," Kagome introduced herself.

"I'm Ayame, and I'm Kouga's fiancé so you stay away from him you hear me?"

Kagome looked at Kouga. "So when did this happen?"

"Well, I told my father last night that we weren't going to work out and then this morning she was here," Kouga explained.

"Wow, and I thought my mom was bad. Well, Ayame, you don't have to worry about me. I already have someone I like," Kagome assured the girl.

Ayame looked a little surprised and then smile at Kagome. "Well, it's nice to meet you too then."

"Well, I have to get going. Good luck you two," Kagome called behind her as she walked down the hall. About ten minute later she realized she didn't have a clue as to where she was going. Kagome was looking around trying to see down all the side hallways and she once again hit someone. This time she was caught instead of hitting the floor. She looked up and . . . . . .

--

InuyashaForever1989: And that's all this time around. I hope you enjoyed it. Review please, you know you want to. Ja ne.


	10. The Unexpected Twist

InuyashaForever1989: As a special treat for all the people I made wait sooooo long for chapter 9 I did an extra fast update. The answer to my last cliffhanger will surprise everyone; it even surprised me when I wrote it. Enjoy the read and thanks again to everyone who gives me reviews.

--

Chapter 10: The Unexpected Twist

About ten minutes later she realized she didn't have a clue as to where she was going. Kagome was looking around trying to see down all the side hallways and she once again hit someone. This time she was caught instead of hitting the floor. She looked up and this time it was . . . it was. Who was this person?

"Um, I'm sorry about that," Kagome apologized.

"It's quite alright," the man said as he set her on her feet.

He was obviously a youkai from his red eyes and aura. He also had long wavy black hair and he was quite tall, not as tall as Sesshomaru but he still toward over Kagome. He was wearing baggy, dark blue pants and matching shirt and a dull purple vest. "What are you doing wandering around here by yourself; it's so easy to get lost around here."

"Yeah, I know. It would seem I'm lost right now actually," Kagome said and laughed a bit nervously. Something about this guy didn't feel right and he was starting to creep her out. "Um, well, could you point me to the exit please?"

"Hmmm, it's rather difficult to give directions around this place so why don't I just show you the way out?" the man asked and smiled down at her. His smile seemed dirty and slimy and made her feel like she was in desperate need of a bath.

"Ok," she only said it because there didn't appear to be any one else around and she really needed the help. They walked down the hallway in a stiff silence and Mamoru trailing behind them seemingly unnoticed by the man.

Kagome had hoped he wouldn't try to talk to her again but so much for hoping. "So, what are you doing here anyway?"

"Oh, I came here to see Sesshomaru," Kagome said smiling despite the fact her stomach was turning.

"Lord Sesshomaru? He doesn't get many visitors that aren't here on business," the man said.

"Yeah, everyone seems so surprised that we're friends. Like it's just so unbelievable."

"Well, he has his nickname for a reason," the man pointed out.

Kagome looked up at him confused. "What nickname?" she asked.

"He's known as the 'Frozen Prince' because he's cold and distant to just about everyone," he explained.

"Really? I've never heard that. Well, he's not all that bad once you get to know him," Kagome defended.

"Really?" the man questioned and dropped a little behind Kagome. The gears in his head turning, he reached out towards the girl that was now in front of him. Then Kagome saw someone walk by at the end of the hall and realized it was Sesshomaru.

"Oh, it's Sesshomaru," Kagome said and the man looked up suddenly and pulled his hands back. "I'm going to go talk to him. He can finish showing me the way out, ok?" The man just looked at her strangely. "Yeah, well, bye and thank you." Kagome then ran down the hall and after Sesshomaru.

The man just stood there and smirked at the girl running down the hall. "Interesting."

'_I didn't like him, he was up to something,' _Mamoru said as he ran after Kagome.

'_Well, we don't have to worry about him now,'_ Kagome pointed out and then turned her attention back to Sesshomaru.

"Sesshomaru! Sesshomaru!" Kagome call after the inu youkai.

Sesshomaru stopped and turned around just in time to see Kagome trip over the carpet. He caught her just before she hit the ground. "I'm getting just a little tried of falling today," she mumbled.

"Kagome?" Sesshomaru asked as he straightened up.

"Oh, Sesshomaru, you're here. No one knew where you were," Kagome said as she noticed that she was being held bridle style in Sesshomaru's arms and blushed.

"What are you doing here?" he asked and Kagome thought he sounded strange somehow.

"Well, I was hoping to get your help with something, but since you weren't here Inuyasha helped me out," Kagome explained.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeah, he was kind of rude but Mamoru got him for me," she said with a big smile on her face.

"Mamoru?" Sesshomaru asked and she saw some weird emotion flicker through his eyes. "Who's Mamoru? Did he come with you?" He asked. Sesshomaru wouldn't admit it out loud but he was jealous. He didn't like the way she smiled or the way her eyes lit up when she mentioned this Mamoru person. Kagome was his and no one else's.

"Oh, well, that's what I needed help with. This is Mamoru," Kagome said and gestured towards the floor. Sesshomaru looked down and, to say the least, was a bit shocked to see a silver dragon sitting at his feet and . . . glaring at him? Then he realized he was still holding Kagome and the little dragon probably didn't like that.

Sesshomaru reached out his mind to the little dragon so he could talk to it. _'PUT HER DOWN!'_ the words blasted through his mind.

'_Calm down,'_ he instructed Mamoru. _'I would not hurt her in any way. In fact I am also quite protective of her.'_

Mamoru looked at Sesshomaru suspiciously for a moment. _'Fine, just put her down already,'_ Mamoru said, sounding a bit defeated.

Sesshomaru put Kagome down and turned to her. "Where did you get him?" he asked.

"Well, I found his egg. Actually his dieing mother gave it to me and I hatched him. I needed to get him registered so I came here to ask you for help, but you weren't here and I found Inuyasha and he helped me," Kagome explained and she held up the papers for Sesshomaru to see.

"I see," was all he said.

"Yeah, I was just going to bring them to the hatchery but it would seem I'm lost in here," Kagome said and blushed in embarrassment.

Sesshomaru nodded his head and turned to Mamoru and once again reached out for the little dragon. _'I need to talk to her,' _He told the little silver dragon.

'_About what?'_ Mamoru asked suspiciously.

Kagome looked at the two as they stared at each other and she noticed she could feel a link going back and forth between them. "Hey, are you two talking about me?" Kagome asked.

It was meant more or less to be a joke but when Sesshomaru looked away and to Kagome again he said, "Actually we were and now I need to talk to you."

Kagome gulped nervously. "About what exactly?" she asked. _'Mamoru, what's going on here?'_

'_It's not my place to tell you,'_ Mamoru told her.

Sesshomaru didn't answer her question and took her hand and led her away. A few twists and turns later and they came to a door that Kagome remembered led to his bedroom. "Sesshomaru, come on, tell me what you're up too," Kagome said, stopping herself just short of whining.

Sesshomaru still didn't talk and simply opened the door and led her in. Mamoru sat in a corner watching them carefully. Finally Sesshomaru spoke, "You remember the last time you were here," it wasn't really a question because he knew she would probably never be able to forget. Kagome nodded anyway. "You said something to me."

Kagome called up the memory of being carried in Sesshomaru's arms and mumbling something that she couldn't hear herself say. "I did," she said hoping she wouldn't have to admit that she didn't know what that something was.

"Well, now I have something I need to say back to you." Kagome was starting to get nervous. Sesshomaru had a strange look in his eyes. Not a scary, frightening sort of look, it was a warm, deep sort of look. One that she could just sink into and stay there forever. "Kagome I--" Sesshomaru stopped himself. He suddenly felt afraid like he couldn't do it. What if it had been a mistake or something?

There was a loud screeching from the corner. _'Just say it already, you coward!' _Mamoru yelled at him.

'_Don't worry, I'm here with you as well,' _he heard Akako whisper in his mind.

"I love you too," he finally got out and his heart nearly stopped at the shocked wide eyes that stared back at him. She looked like his words had been the last thing she had expected him to say.

'_Oh my god, oh my god!'_

'_What? Did you really expect him to say he didn't?' _Mamoru asked.

'_Well, yes, I mean no, I mean I didn't expect him to say anything about it. That night I was so completely out of it I didn't even know what I had said,' _Kagome said practically freaking out.

'_So you didn't mean it?' _Mamoru asked.

'_Well, I did mean it. I just hadn't meant to say it,' _Kagome explained.

'_Well, it's too late now. You said it and he said it back so do something about it already.'_

Kagome widened her eyes even more and shook her head. She looked at Sesshomaru and the look in his eyes was something akin to fear, without thinking about it Kagome threw her arms around the inu youkai. Sesshomaru was shocked for a minute but soon did the same and held her close.

"You had me worried there for a minute," Sesshomaru said shakily and he held onto her even tighter.

'_Yeah, me too,' _Mamoru added.

'_Why were you worried?'_ Kagome asked.

'_Well, he was really worried that it had been some sort of mistake and then I said something and then you said that and I got worried. Ok?'_

'_Alright, alright, I get it,'_ Kagome soothed the frazzled dragon. Kagome wondered a minute if she should tell him that she hadn't known what she had said that night. _I'll tell him someday, but not today,_ she thought to herself and just relaxed into Sesshomaru.

Suddenly there was the sound of breaking glass. Everyone looked over to the window and saw nothing except the broken glass on the floor. Since the glass had fallen inside the room that meant something had come in from outside. Sesshomaru slowly backed up towards the wall and put Kagome behind him.

A loud, malevolent laugh echoed through the room and a blur shot across the room in the shadows. _'Hey, it's that guy from before,'_ Mamoru pointed out.

"What?" Kagome said out loud.

"What is it?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Mamoru said that it's the same guy who was helping me get out of here before I saw you," Kagome explained looking around but still not seeing the man.

"Why Lord Sesshomaru, I do believe I've finally found you weakness," a voice said from the shadows before Sesshomaru could say anything else.

"You," Sesshomaru said.

"Yes, me and now for her," the voice said and a strange wind picked up and spun around the room like a tornado. Kagome clung to the back of Sesshomaru's white shirt trying not to get blown away.

"And don't forget me," another voice said. This voice was female and after looking around a little they could just make out the form of a woman with dark hair and red eyes through the wind. She was standing by the window and her white and purple dress was whipping around her in the wind.

"Kagura," Sesshomaru said and Kagome could swear he was growling.

"So nice to see you haven't forgotten me after all this time. I see you've really lowered your standards; falling for some weakling, ningen woman," Kagura sneered.

"Kagura, we don't have time for this," the voice in the shadows said.

"Ok! Fine. It's seems we'll have to finish this some other time love," she said and the wind picked up more. Suddenly, Kagome was gone from behind him and she floated unconsciously into Kagura's arms and the woman disappeared out the window.

After Kagura left the wind died down and Sesshomaru ran to the window only to see Kagura taking off on her feather. Sesshomaru was just about to jump out the window after her but something behind struck him and he fell to the ground.

"If you want her back you'll have to come find her," a man standing above him said. His vision was blurry so he couldn't quite make him out but it didn't matter. Sesshomaru already knew who it was.

"Naraku," he whispered as he fell unconscious.

--

'_. . . et . . . p, . . . get . . . up, get up. HEY, GET UP ALREADY!' _Sesshomaru shot up and looked around and found Mamoru staring at him. _'They took her, we have to go!'_ Mamoru said frantically.

"How long was I out?" Sesshomaru asked out loud seeing as his head hurt too much to reach out to the little dragon.

'_Well, I was out for a while too. I just woke up myself and saw you still lying there. However, it has gotten dark out,' _Mamoru explained.

Sesshomaru put his hand over something in his pocket. It was the reason he hadn't been home all morning. He had practically had to beg his father to give it to him. "Don't worry, we will get her back," he assured Mamoru. "He's not going to be easy to find though." Sesshomaru ran out of his room and went to the one right across from it. He hadn't used these in a very long time and it was about time they got some use again.

The door opened into a closet like room. There was nothing in it except for three swords that hung on the wall one was his brother's the Tetsaiga but the other two were his. The Tenseiga and the Tokijin. There was a spot on the wall for a forth sword called So'unga. His father always kept this particular sword with him, especially when he was away like he was now.

Sesshomaru grabbed Tokijin and turned to run again but stopped. _'What are you stopping for? We've got to go now,'_ Mamoru said.

Sesshomaru turned back toward the swords and watched as the Tenseiga pulsed. It wanted him to take it too. He quickly grabbed the other sword as well and started moving again. Finding Naraku wasn't going to be easy. He already had at least half a day's start and the hanyou had a thing about not being found until he wanted to be found. Well, Sesshomaru would just have to try.

'_Akako, get ready to fly, we're going after her.'_

'_Yes, Sesshomaru,' _Akako said back.

-- (Meanwhile with Kagome)

Kagome slowly opened her eyes. Everything was blurry at first and the room she was in was semi-dark except for the light that came in through the curtains on the windows. Soon she found out she was on a bed and one of her wrists was locked to the bed post with some sort of chain. She tried to sit up but her body just felt like dead weight and stiff as if she hadn't moved in a very long time.

Looking around the room she finally spotted a little girl in the corner. Then she realized that she wasn't really a little girl. She was a youkai with white hair and black bottomless eyes and a white dress.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked.

"I am Kana of the void."

"Oh," Kagome said. Well that might explain why the girl didn't seem to have any detectable presence. _'Mamoru? Mamoru can you hear me?' _she tried to call out to him.

"Don't bother, not even the bond between dragon and rider can break through the barrier that Naraku has erected around this place," a woman's voice said.

Kagome looked over to the door and saw the woman that Sesshomaru had called Kagura. "How long was I out?" Kagome asked.

"You wake up in a strange dark room, with two youkai, and you probably feel like hell and your first question is how long you've been asleep?" Kagura shot back. The woman sounded annoyed with her for some reason.

"You've been asleep for two nights and two days," Kana said in monotone.

"What?!" Kagome asked.

"Yeah it would seem I hit you a little too hard," Kagura said nonchalantly as she slowly walked over to the bed.

Kagome quickly move her gaze from Kana to Kagura which she discovered was a bad idea as her head spun. "Why am I here?" she asked, holding her head.

"Well, Naraku wants you as bait for Lord Sesshomaru. And when he's done with that I'm get to deal with you," Kagura explained a bit too cheerfully for Kagome's taste.

"Why do you seem to have something against me?" Kagome asked.

"That heartless dog broke my heart and refused me! I believed it was because I wasn't good enough, beautiful enough, strong enough, and what does he do?" Kagura ranted and looked Kagome up and down. "He falls for a ningen and not even a remotely pretty one. I'll enjoy making you pay for taking him from me."

"I didn't take him from you. It sounds more like you're just jealous," Kagome said.

"Why you little," Kagome said tightly and raised a hand to slap her but stopped when she heard a voice.

"Now, now, Kagura. We wouldn't want to get ahead of ourselves now would we?" a voice said and a man stepped into the room.

"You!" Kagome said as she looked at the man who had been helping her through the halls. "Who are you?"

"I am Naraku," he introduce himself. "And you are going to help me defeat the Great Lord Sesshomaru."

"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked.

"When Sesshomaru gets here you are going to plead for him to save you and he will do anything to get you back," Naraku said with an evil grin twisting his face.

"I will not and neither will he," Kagome said more confidently than she felt.

"Oh, but you will," Naraku said as he leaned down and his hand became tentacles. Kagome 'eep'ed as they slithered around her throat and then they withdrew. Naraku laughed manically as his hand turned back to normal. "I think it's time to bring Sesshomaru here," he said and he walked out of the room.

Kagura smirked down at her and then she also left. The only one to remain was Kana. The girlish youkai just stood there staring and not moving. Kagome sighed and at the same time she wished for Sesshomaru to come and save her she also hoped that he wouldn't come at all.

-- (With Sesshomaru)

'_Do you smell that?' _Sesshomaru asked his younger brother.

'_Yeah, that's Naraku alright,' _Inuyasha answered back.

'_We have to be careful. We've only caught his scent because he's ready for us,'_ Sesshomaru pointed out.

'_Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know that already, jeez,' _Inuyasha complained.

'_I don't want your incompetence to get in my way.'_

'_Hey I'm not the one who lost my girlfriend,' _Inuyasha pointed out. His ears perked up as, from outside his mind, he heard a rather loud growl over the rushing wind that he assumed had come from his brother.

Sesshomaru didn't know why he had brought along his half-wit half-brother. He had seen Sesshomaru as he was leaving and, when all was explained, had demanded to go along.

'_Will you two stop fighting? Honestly, we have a girl to save remember?' _Akako's voice rang through both their minds.

'_There she goes again, getting all bossy,' _Akihiro, Inuyasha's big blue dragon, sighed. (A/N: Akihiro means bright and large and is pronounced (ah KEE hee ro))

'_What's that supposed to mean dear brother?' _Akako asked with a certain edge to her voice.

'_Hey, what happened to no fighting?' _another joined in. A silver flash flew passed them. And sped on. _'We have to move faster.'_

The other two dragons nodded and picked up there speed after Mamoru.

--

InuyashaForever1989: Not really a cliffhanger this time but oh well, they can't all be winners. I hope you all enjoyed. Review please. You know you want to. Ja ne!


	11. A Disastrous Rescue And Maybe A Happily

InuyashaForever1989: Hey everyone, this chapter was a pain in the ass, I wrote the whole chapter and my computer shut down on me and the recovery thing didn't work :'( and I had to rewrite it all over again and of course I couldn't remember most of what I had written and I just had no desire or drive to rewrite it. Well anyway, this is the last chapter of dragon rider. I might do a sequel if I can think of a good plot line, or something like that, for it. Well, read and enjoy and of course don't forget to review.

Chapter 11: A Disastrous Rescue And Maybe A Happily Ever After

Kagome sighed for the billionth time since she woke up. She was over the whole captive thing and she already had a plan to get out of there if the other two would just come back in the room.

Once she had them all together she would just blast them with her miko powers. They would be dust and everything would be safe when Sesshomaru came to get her.

Kagome suddenly felt very weak. She looked over toward Kana who still hadn't moved. She wondered what was going on when she noticed that the childlike youkai's mirror had started to glow. Suddenly, she could no longer support herself and she fell down to the bed with a soft thud. She tried to struggle but it did no good, she couldn't move a muscle.

_What's going on here? _Kagome wondered and then she heard an evil laugh from behind her where the doorway was.

"Sorry, but we can't have you putting up a fight at the moment," she heard Naraku explained.

_That bastard,_ Kagome thought.

"Now, now, Kagome it's not nice to call people names," Naraku chastised her in an almost mocking sort of voice.

_What?!_

"You heard me," Naraku replied.

'_You can hear me?' _Kagome asked.

"Not just hear you, I can read you mind, even the things that you're not thinking at the moment," he explained as he walked around the bed and into her line of vision.

'_But, how?' _Kagome asked, now thoroughly confused.

"It's a skill all dragon riders posses, although it is one that is ban by the Council of Five," Naraku said as if he were just brushing it off. (A/N: Yes it sounds cheesy but deal with it.)

'_The Council of Five?!' _Kagome had heard of them. Her father used to tell her stories when she was little. They were five dragons, very old and there was one of each rare color on the council. They made and enforced the rules for the dragon riders of what they could and couldn't do. It was part of the treaty between the riders and the dragons, as long as the riders followed the rules they allowed the dragons to partner with them. Her father had explained that there were some powers that only dragons could use without becoming corrupt. It would seem her father was right.

"Don't worry girl, I was corrupt long before I came into possession of a dragon."

'_How did someone like you get a dragon? They don't hatch for just anyone,' _Kagome asked accusingly.

"Oh, no, they don't but it wasn't really that hard and I think we have enough time for me to explain it," he with an evil smirk. "You see I once worked at a hatchery and over time they foolishly came to trust me. At the time many more people would come to the hatchery to parade themselves before the eggs and many more were hatched then these days. With all that work and so few people working there it wasn't long before I was left to work on my own.

"One day I was left to observe a hatching on my own and that was their biggest and last mistake. The young man who was chosen by the egg was absolutely flustered; he couldn't believe what was going on. I'm not even sure he realized my claws were in his neck until he was dead. Anyway the egg hatched and I bonded with it and that's the end of my little tale."

'_Even if you did do all that the dragon wouldn't have obeyed you,' _Kagome pointed out.

"No, I suppose normally it wouldn't but with enough exposure to a dark aura such as mine it's soul became just as black as mine and, curiously enough, so did it's scales."

'_How, how could you do something like that? You, you're a . . .' _Kagome stop, her mind clog with tears and sobs for the poor dragon's fate.

"Go on, say it," Naraku goaded.

'_You're a monster,' _Kagome finished in only a whisper even in her mind. Naraku laughed loudly and looked to the doorway where Kagome could here footsteps.

"Ah, yes, I almost forgot, Sesshomaru will be here soon. When he sees you begging for help he'll do anything to save you."

'_I told you I wouldn't do that, and don't think for even a second you'll be able to control me even like this,'_ Kagome warned.

"Yes, I am quite aware of that. Originally I had intended for Kana to remove your entire soul but it would seem there is something strange and unique about you that won't allow her to do it. I will have to use a substitute but you will still need to be near by for scent purposes so Sesshomaru will not become suspicious and I couldn't have you making a fuss." Naraku motioned for someone to come around from the doorway and as the person came around she saw an exact copy of herself.

"What do you think," the woman said and Kagome knew at once it was Kagura.

'_You bitch!' _Kagome screamed.

"Settle down little one; she can't hear you," Naraku pointed out and Kagome settled for glaring at the woman who was impersonating her.

'_You can't seriously think Sesshomaru will fall for this do you?' _Kagome asked the insane youkai.

"Oh, I think he will and I also think we should get ready. He will be here soon." Naraku laughed and threw Kagome over his shoulder. Kagura walked out first, then Naraku, and he was followed by Kana.

Kagome was tossed into a small room and left with Kana as Naraku exited the room. Through cracks in the wall, Kagome could see another room. It was larger, lit dimly with candles and close enough for Sesshomaru to detect her scent without suspecting anything. She watched as Kagome(Kagura) and Naraku entered the room. Naraku chained Kagome(Kagura) to one of the walls and then they waited.

It seemed to take forever, when in reality it wasn't very long at all, before Sesshomaru showed up. He actually smashed right though the wall.

"Lord Sesshomaru, how nice of you to join us," Naraku said in a mocking tone.

"Naraku, give Kagome back to me," Sesshomaru demanded.

"Now, now Lord Sesshomaru you wouldn't want anything to happen to you dear Kagome, would you?" Naraku asked as he pulled on the chains and Kagome(Kagura) let out a yell.

"Sesshomaru, help me," she pleaded with the beginnings of tears in her eyes.

Sesshomaru's eyes bled an eerie red and a loud growl resounded through the room. "Naraku," Sesshomaru growled in warning.

"Don't worry I'll give her back to you safe and sound, but I want something first," he said.

"What?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice still a rough growl.

"Your sword, Tokijin," Naraku stated simply.

Kagome didn't know why Naraku wanted Sesshomaru's sword but she had a bad feeling about this whole thing. _'Sesshomaru don't do it,'_ Kagome thought, trying to reach out to him, but she felt her power pulled back. She found this curious. Kagome tore her attention away from the other room to investigate this.

Kagome tried to call on her strength and it was snapped back on her like some sort of restraint. She pulled lightly on it again and felt the tension like some sort of thread. Following along the tension, she found an end where she felt all her energy being pent up.

She had to figure something out and she had to do it fast. Kagome tugged at her energy and felt the tension grow. Maybe if she pulled hard enough the tension would become to great and it would snap. The question now became did she have the strength to break it.

Looking back in the room she looked at Sesshomaru, he was griping his sword and his red eyes seemed to waver. She had to try; she had to do something.

She felt for the tension again and she pulled at it. She drew on her powers, every bit that she could find. Kagome felt her strength falter but looking at Sesshomaru and knowing she couldn't let Naraku win she dug deep within herself and even drew on the part of her soul that was trapped in the mirror and the tension snapped like a rope.

Kana looked down at her mirror that was no longer glowing and then up at Kagome who had just gotten to her knees. Kagome was breathing heavily and her body felt weak, but she wasn't done yet and she forced herself to her feet. She heard something slam down on the ground and looked to the other room and saw that Sesshomaru had thrown down his sword at Naraku's feet.

Naraku released Kagome(Kagura) and she stumbled into Sesshomaru's arms. "Sesshomaru," Kagome(Kagura) sobbed.

"Oh, there was one more thing," Naraku said absentmindedly.

"And what would that be?" Sesshomaru asked as he glared and hugged Kagome(Kagura) closer.

"Your life," Naraku whispered and Sesshomaru went still and Kagome(Kagura) started to laugh. She back away and transformed back to her true self and Sesshomaru stood there stabbed with his other sword and he fell to the ground.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome yelled and caught the attention of the people in the other room and they stared at the wall.

Kagome looked to Kana who had raised her mirror in what she guessed was another attempt to capture her soul, but it wouldn't work this time. "I don't think so," Kagome said and sent a waved of her newly regained power at the childlike youkai that sent her crashing into the wall. Scratch that, it sent her crashing through the wall and across the other room and her body disintegrated, purified by the holy energy.

"Sesshomaru," she called again and ran toward where his body lay prone on the floor. She knelt next to him but she couldn't think of anything to do. Her hands hovered helplessly above his body.

Kagome heard an evil laugh from behind her and turned to see Naraku lift Tokijin and she felt a pulse of evil demonic power. This was all just too much she needed help.

Inuyasha drew his sword and Kagome thought it was strange how she hadn't noticed him there before. He charged at Naraku but was easily blown back by the power of the sword that Naraku now had in his possession. No Sesshomaru and no Inuyasha now what was she going to do?

There was a sudden crash behind her and when she turned she saw that the room she had been in had collapsed and a cloud of dust covered the area. _What was that?_ she wondered as she tried to keep herself from breathing in the debris.

'_Not what, who,' _a voice in her head told her.

'_Mamoru!' _

'_The one and only,' _he said in an over confident manner.

'_Who have you been hanging around to get that kind of attitude?' _Kagome asked.

'_Inuyasha,' _Mamoru stated simply.

'_I see,' _Kagome said as she looked over at the unconscious hanyou. Then she heard a groan and the crashing of wood and watched as Naraku started to climb out from under a pile of wooden beams. She had forgotten about him.

She looked over to Mamoru and she forgot once more. _'Mamoru, you're huge.' _Mamoru was now at least twice as tall as Kagome was which was huge compared to the knee height he had been when she had last seen him.

'_Didn't I tell you young dragons grow fast?(_A/N: think of _The Waterhorse) Now come on,' _Mamoru urged and he knelt down so that Kagome would be able to climb on. Kagome ran over and did just that. By this time Naraku had escaped his wooden prison and his ruby eyes glared at the pair.

There was another crash right next to them that forced Mamoru to take off into the sky. A couple minutes later a black blur rose from the dust and streaked past them. Mamoru turned around in the air but wasn't fast enough and the blur passed them again.

"Naraku I know it's you so stop running already!" Kagome yelled over the wind. Mamoru turned around again and there was Naraku and his black dragon.

'_Shall we?' _she heard Naraku's voice and he went into a dive heading straight for them.

'_Mamoru!' _Kagome called.

'_On it,' _Mamoru replied and dove out of the way. Mamoru and Kagome turned only to be met with a stream of fire. Mamoru met it with his own but couldn't fight the other dragon's flames and only managed to delay it long enough to get out of the way.

'_He's too strong,' _Mamoru pointed out.

'_No, we can do this! We have to,' _Kagome all but whispered the last part. Mamoru glanced back at the girl and felt the pain and desperation in those words and nodded his large head to her. _'Just keep us from getting killed while I think of something.'_

'_Will do,' _Mamoru responded and dodged another fire blast. Now what? Kagome didn't know what to do. Naraku's dragon was stronger and faster. It probably didn't think for itself though seeing as he needed the control to keep the dragon from rebelling.

Wait! The dragon was being controlled! If she could break that control then Naraku would be finished. It would break his bond with the dragon and he would lose any powers that it gave him. The new question was how did she do that?

-flashback-

"_With enough exposure to a dark aura such as mine its soul became just as black as mine and, curiously enough, so did it's scales."_

-flashback-

Maybe if a dark aura could turn him evil then a light aura could reverse it. _'Mamoru, I need to get closer,' _Kagome said.

'_What?!'_

'_I think I have an idea. I need to get closer though; do you think you can do it?'_

'_Let's do this,' _Mamoru announced and dived in closer to Naraku. Kagome sought out the power deep inside her and aimed at the black dragon. As they passed Kagome let her miko powers flow from her and into the dragon by touching in with her hand. Her hand was cut by the roughness of the scales but the dragon let out a loud screech and fell a few dozen feet through the air until it regained itself.

'_Mamoru, it is working! Bring us around again,' _Kagome said and Mamoru turned and came in close again. Kagome release another pulse of power receiving more cuts to her hand and the dragon screeched again. Mamoru circled around again and Kagome saw that a few flecks of black had flaked off.

This happened a few more times. Kagome's hands started to drip with blood from the cuts and scratches from having to touch the passing dragon but she had to keep going, she could see large patches of black had disappeared. _'Mamoru one more time, but this time circle around first I need time to gather a lot of energy.'_

Mamoru did what Kagome said and when they came in close Kagome delivered a final blow and a bright light engulfed the dragon. Naraku, however, refused to go down without a fight. A tentacle flew from Naraku as he was dissolved in the light and struck Kagome in the shoulder and knocked her from Mamoru.

Kagome felt and searing pain run through her shoulder. The pain was so bad she couldn't even process the fact that she was falling. There was a sudden jerk and a ripping sound, probably her dress tearing as she was caught by something. The jerk had jolted pain through her shoulder but she looked up anyway and saw Mamoru.

'_Thank you, Mamoru,' _Kagome gritted through the pain.

"_No problem, besides who else was going to catch you?"_ the young dragon asked sarcastically.

Kagome looked down to the quickly approaching ground and then cough at the cloud of dust that arose when Mamoru landed. When the air was clear she looked around while making a mental note that Mamoru wasn't allowed around Inuyasha anymore.

She then saw said hanyou dragging his half-brother from the partially destroyed building. She was just about to run over to them when a glint of something caught her eyes and she looked over to her right. There standing proud and tall was a very large dragon and a golden dragon at that.

"You're?" was all Kagome could ask as she stared up in amazement.

'_I am Daichi and you young lady have freed me and for that I thank you,'_ the large dragon said as he swept his head down to her level in a sort of bow. (A/N: pronunciation is (DAH ee chee) and it means Great wisdom)

"You're welcome," Kagome said still half speechless. She had never thought in all her life she would see a gold dragon, she had always hoped but never actually thought she would. Then again she never really thought she would have a dragon of her own and now she had Mamoru. She looked over at the not so little anymore silver dragon and smiled at him. Mamoru gave a toothy grin back that would have sent some people running.

'_You should go to your friend now,'_ Daichi said, effectively snapping Kagome out of her inner thoughts.

"What about you?" she asked.

'_I will be fine, I will go to the land of my ancestors and find a home there,' _he explained and for a moment Kagome marveled at the idea of going to the land of dragons but she quickly shook those thoughts and turned around to see Inuyasha sitting down next to Sesshomaru.

She turned back around to say goodbye to Daichi but he was already gone. She hadn't even felt him take off but she could still she him in the distance. _'Goodbye,'_ Kagome called out from her mind.

'_Perhaps we shall meet again_,' and with that he was out of sight and Kagome turned her attention to the real problem right now. Sesshomaru had been stabbed with his own sword. She walked over to the two brothers and on her way passed by the sword Tokijin as it lay discarded on the ground. She didn't dare touch it after the demonic pulse she had felt from it.

She finally came up to Sesshomaru's side sitting opposite from Inuyasha. She could feel the tears well up in her eyes as she looked over to Inuyasha who looked unconcerned. Kagome couldn't take it and she just burst tears running down her cheeks, "Why don't you look like you care at all?!"

Inuyasha's ears flattened to his head at the sudden and loud noise. "Calm down will ya?" he said.

"But Sesshomaru--he's been--and--I don't--," Kagome fumbled for words but finally just broke off into sobs.

"That's it! I've had enough of this. You've laid there long enough you bastard, now get your ass up!" Inuyasha yelled at Sesshomaru's prone form. Kagome looked at him like he was nuts but he just rolled his eyes and took hold of the sword that was still lodged in Sesshomaru's gut.

"What are you doing?!" Kagome asked a little panicked and afraid the hanyou had lost his mind.

Inuyasha suddenly jerked the sword from Sesshomaru and said, "There now get your stupid ass up." Kagome had decided Inuyasha had lost his mind. Great now she was stuck in the middle of nowhere the love of her life dead and a crazy hanyou.

She jerked suddenly when she heard a groan come from beside her and looked down to see Sesshomaru opening his eyes. Kagome jump at least three feet away from the two. Maybe she was the one who was going crazy.

Sesshomaru sat up and Inuyasha looked down on him. "It's about fucking time. You know I don't handle crying women well and she's your woman!" Inuyasha was fuming as he stomped off and Kagome saw a shadow pass overhead and then a large blue dragon landed and Inuyasha took off leaving a dazed Sesshomaru and a half terrified Kagome behind.

Sesshomaru shook his head clear and tried to remember what had happened exactly. Looking over at Kagome his head cleared completely and non of it mattered as he saw the wound on her shoulder. He shot up and rushed over to her. Kagome visible flinched as he crouched down to her sitting form.

"Kagome are you ok?" Sesshomaru asked gently. Kagome looked half overjoyed and half terrified and completely confused.

"Am I ok? What about you, you, you, you just came back to life. I mean how, what--" Kagome's flow of words was stopped when Sesshomaru kissed her. When he pulled away he took up his sword Tenseiga and showed it to her.

"There's no blood on the blade," he started his explanation, "This blade doesn't cut."

"But--but I saw you and I saw you get--"

"Calm down. You just don't understand what this sword is," he said taking a bit of a more serious tone, the slightly harsh and steady words holding down Kagome's instinct to panic. "This sword is one of healing and even brings the dead back to life. It cannot kill anyone. If Naraku had used any other sword in that situation I don't know what would have happened."

Kagome just sat there soaking it all in. So Sesshomaru never died. It was all some sort of trick with this healing sword. Ok, ok, so everything was fine. Kagome jolted in pain as she felt something touch her shoulder. She tried to jerk back but she was held firmly in place.

"Stay still," Sesshomaru commanded, leaving no room for arguments. Kagome did as she was told and sat still while Sesshomaru licked her wound clean. The whole time she blushed and she could hear Mamoru growling. She couldn't tell if it was out loud or not she was too focused on Sesshomaru and how his tongue felt on her skin. Kagome let out a soft unexpected moan. She hadn't meant to and her face turned a nice cherry red color when she did it to.

Sesshomaru stopped cleaning her wound and she was both relieved and disappointed at the same time. Then she felt his tongue again this time on her neck. He went from her collar bone up her neck. Kagome held back another moan but Sesshomaru wouldn't have it. He traced his tongue along her neck until he found her pulse where he started to suck. Kagome couldn't stop herself anymore and Sesshomaru got what he wanted and he heard her low moan again.

Kagome felt funny, but it was a good funny. She leaned her head back for him but suddenly he was gone. When she opened her eyes, which she didn't remember closing in the first place, she didn't see Sesshomaru. She had to blink her eyes a couple times to focus enough to look around. Looking behind her she saw a confused Sesshomaru Sitting about ten feet away next to a pissed off looking Mamoru.

"Mamoru what was that about?" Kagome asked.

'_I don't like it,'_ Mamoru said. _'Besides do you really think this is the place for that kind of thing?' _he then asked and Kagome could have sworn he was giving her an attitude.

Kagome looked around at the barren land around them and knew he was right, but he didn't have to be so rude about it.

"We should get going," Sesshomaru announced and Kagome realized that he had stood up and walked back over to her. He had his hand out to help her up. When he pulled her up he whispered into her ear, "We're not done."

Kagome turned red again and Sesshomaru walked over to Akako who was just landing. Mamoru glared at Sesshomaru the whole time as he walked over to Kagome. Kagome pet his head and drew his attention away. She smiled and shook her head. Life was definitely going to be interesting from now on.

-End-

InuyashaForever1989: Well that's it DR fans! It's all over! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Or is it? That's right people, keep a look out 'cause I've got an idea for a sequel : ] Well, 'till then see you all laters and don't forget to review!!


	12. Author's Note Please Read

InuyashaForever1989: Hey readers! I'm just here to say that I have started posting the chapters for the sequel. It's titled 'A New Age For Dragons' I hope all my DR fans will enjoy it ^_^ so click on over and find it. Also i have down graded the rating from M to T seeing as it doesn't really seem like M material here.


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